Lefty Driesell Award
| Awarded for | the top men's defensive player in NCAA Division I basketball |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Presented by | Collegeinsider.com |
| History | |
| First award | 2010 |
| Most recent | Joseph Tugler, Houston |
| Website | Official website |
The Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award is an award given annually to the most outstanding men's college basketball defender in NCAA Division I competition. The award was established in 2010 and is named after head coach Lefty Driesell, who is the only head coach to amass 100 wins at four different Division I schools and is best remembered for his success with the Davidson Wildcats and Maryland Terrapins programs.
Key
| * | Awarded a national player of the year award: Sporting News; Oscar Robertson Trophy; Associated Press; NABC; Naismith; Wooden |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the Lefty Driesell Award at that point |
Winners
Darion Atkins, Virginia, 2015
Jevon Carter, West Virginia, 2017 and 2018
| Year | Player | School | Class | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009–10 | Jarvis Varnado | Mississippi State | Senior | [1] |
| 2010–11 | Kent Bazemore | Old Dominion | Junior | [2] |
| 2011–12 | Anthony Davis* | Kentucky | Freshman | [3] |
| 2012–13 | Tommy Brenton | Stony Brook | Senior | [4] |
| 2013–14 | Elfrid Payton | Louisiana | Junior | [3] |
| 2014–15 | Darion Atkins | Virginia | Senior | [5] |
| 2015–16 | Vashil Fernandez | Valparaiso | Senior | [6] |
| 2016–17 | Jevon Carter | West Virginia | Junior | [7] |
| 2017–18 | Jevon Carter (2) | West Virginia | Senior | [7] |
| 2018–19 | Matisse Thybulle | Washington | Senior | [8] |
| 2019–20 | Juvaris Hayes | Merrimack | Senior | [9] |
| 2020–21 | Davion Mitchell | Baylor | Junior | [10] |
| 2021–22 | KC Ndefo | Saint Peter's | Senior | [11] |
| 2022–23 | Caleb McConnell | Rutgers | Senior | [12] |
| 2023–24 | Boo Buie | Northwestern | Graduate | [12] |
| 2024–25 | Joseph Tugler | Houston | Sophomore | [13] |
References
- ^ "Miss. State's Jarvis Varnado wins the Lefty Driesell Award as top defender". Picayune Item. Picayune, Mississippi. April 4, 2010. p. 11. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ready to Deal: Bazemore heads into tonight's Hawks season opener with a four-year contract and high expectations". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. October 27, 2016. p. C1. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Buckley, Tim (April 6, 2014). "Cajuns' point guard Payton receives honor". Daily World. Opelousas, Louisiana. p. 10. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brenton gets Driesell honor for defense". The Baltimore Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. April 6, 2013. p. D6. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Cavs' Atkins gains honor for 'D'". Daily Press. Newport News, Virginia. April 4, 2015. p. B2. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Men's basketball". Munster Times. Munster, Indiana. April 6, 2016. p. B5. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Reed, Tashan (June 24, 2018). "Memphis pick Carter went to Griz games as a child". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis, Tennessee. p. 18. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Thybulle defensive player of year". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. April 8, 2019. p. B3. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Merrimack's Juvaris Hayes Receives 2019–20 Lefty Driesell Award". NortheastConference.org. Sidearm Sports. March 24, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
- ^ Werner, John (April 3, 2021). "Mitchell named defensive player of year". Waco Tribune-Herald. Waco, Texas. p. 16. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Carino, Jerry (May 31, 2022). "Seton Hall adds Ndefo, transfer from Saint Peter's". Daily Record. Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey. p. B2. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year". Sun Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. April 5, 2024. p. B5. Retrieved July 14, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ringgold, Buck (April 1, 2025). "Houston forward's stellar defense earns nationwide accolades". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 1, 2025.