Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year
| Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year | |
|---|---|
| Description | the most outstanding basketball player in the Southland Conference |
| Country | United States |
| First awarded | 1964 |
| Currently held by | Thomas Walkup, Stephen F. Austin |
The Southland Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the Southland Conference's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the conference's inaugural basketball season of 1963–64. Four players have won the award two times: Jerry Rook, Larry Jeffries, Andrew Toney and Ryan Stuart. No player has ever won three times.
As of 2015, McNeese State has the most all-time winners with eight. Four conference members have never had a winner—Central Arkansas, Houston Baptist, Incarnate Word, and New Orleans. All of these schools are relatively new to the league—Central Arkansas joined in 2006, and the other three joined in 2013. Another school that entered in 2013, Abilene Christian, has one winner from its past tenure in the conference (1963–1973).
Key
| † | Co-Players of the Year |
| * | Awarded a national Player of the Year award: Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year (1904–05 to 1978–79) UPI College Basketball Player of the Year (1954–55 to 1995–96) Naismith College Player of the Year (1968–69 to present) John R. Wooden Award (1976–77 to present) |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the Southland Player of the Year award at that point |
Winners
Winners by school
| School (year joined) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| McNeese State (1972) | 8 | 1975, 1979, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2012 |
| Louisiana–Monroe[b] | 7 | 1986, 1991 (×2)†[c], 1992, 1993, 1996, 2000 |
| Arkansas State (1963)[d] | 6 | 1964, 1965, 1966, 1971†, 1974, 1977 |
| Stephen F. Austin (1987) | 5 | 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| Lamar (1963/1999)[e] | 4 | 1970, 1971†, 1981, 1984 |
| Louisiana Tech[f] | 3 | 1973, 1976, 1983 |
| Louisiana–Lafayette[g] | 3 | 1972, 1978, 1980 |
| Sam Houston State (1987) | 3 | 2003, 2005, 2011 |
| UTSA (1991)[h] | 3 | 1998, 2002, 2004 |
| North Texas[i] | 2 | 1988, 1989 |
| Trinity (1963)[j] | 2 | 1967, 1969 |
| Texas–Arlington (1963)[k] | 2 | 1982, 2010 |
| Abilene Christian (1963/2013)[l] | 1 | 1968 |
| Nicholls State (1991) | 1 | 1995 |
| Northwestern State (1987) | 1 | 1994 |
| Southeastern Louisiana (1997) | 1 | 2006 |
| Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (2006) | 1 | 2007 |
| Texas State (1987))[k] | 1 | 1999 |
| Central Arkansas (2006) | 0 | — |
| Houston Baptist (2013) | 0 | — |
| Incarnate Word (2013) | 0 | — |
| New Orleans (2013) | 0 | — |
| Oral Roberts (2012)[m] | 0 | — |
Footnotes
- a Carlos Funchess was the NCAA Slam Dunk Competition winner following his senior season.
- b The University of Louisiana at Monroe (UL-Monroe) left in 2005 to join its football team in the Sun Belt Conference.
- c UL-Monroe, at the time Northeast Louisiana, had both co-players of the year in 1991.
- d Arkansas State University left to form the American South Conference in 1987. The Red Wolves are now in the Sun Belt Conference.
- e Lamar University left in 1987 to form the American South Conference, later competing in the Sun Belt Conference and as an independent before returning to the Southland in 1999.
- f Louisiana Tech University left in 1987 to form the American South Conference. The Bulldogs (and Lady Techsters) are now in Conference USA (C-USA).
- g The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then known as Southwestern Louisiana, left in 1982 to become an independent. The Ragin' Cajuns are now in the Sun Belt Conference.
- h The University of Texas at San Antonio left in 2012 to join the WAC. The Roadrunners spent only one season in the WAC before joining C-USA.
- i The University of North Texas left to join the Big West Conference in 1996. The Mean Green are now in C-USA.
- j Trinity College (now Trinity University) was a founding member in 1963, but departed in 1971. The Tigers are now in Division III Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference.
- k The University of Texas at Arlington and Texas State University–San Marcos left in 2012 to join the WAC. Both schools spent only one season in the WAC before joining the Sun Belt Conference.
- l Abilene Christian College was also a founding member, but departed in 1973. After 40 years in Division II Lone Star Conference, Abilene Christian (now a "University") returned to Division I and the Southland Conference in 2013.
- m Oral Roberts University left the Southland Conference in 2014, returning to its previous home of The Summit League.
References
- General
- "2008–09 Southland Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide" (pdf). Southland Conference. p. 96. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
- Specific
- ^ "Wildcats on Honor Teams". 2014–15 ACU Men's Basketball Media Guide. Abilene Christian Athletics. p. 35. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
- ^ "ACU Men's Basketball Records: Top Career Scorers". 2014–15 ACU Men's Basketball Media Guide. Abilene Christian Athletics. p. 30. Retrieved March 30, 2015.