March 25, 2024
2024 LEFTY DRIESELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALSISTS
Presented annually to the top defensive player in division I college basketball.
BOSTON, MA -- The 25 finalists for the 2023-24 Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year award have been announced. The award is presented annually to the top defensive player in division I college basketball.
The Lefty Driesell award is named in honor of the legendary coach who spent over four decades as a head coach.
Driesell won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison, and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list and his teams at each stop were known for playing tenacious defense. From 1969-1986 at Maryland, his teams posted a 348-159 record, won two Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles and one tournament title.
Driesell also led Davidson, Georgia State and James Madison to the NCAA tournament, making him one of three coaches to reach the NCAAs with four different programs. His teams won a total of 16 regular season championships and six tournament championships.
Charles “Lefty” Driesell passed away on Feb. 17, 2024. He was 92.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2024 award will be announced in Phoenix, AZ, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.
2024 LEFTY DRIESELL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALISTS
Justin Abson |
6-9 |
Appalachian State |
Adrian "Ace" Baldwin Jr. |
6-1 |
Penn State |
Reece Beekman |
6-3 |
Virginia |
Adem Bona |
6-10 |
UCLA |
Boo Buie |
6-2 |
Northwestern |
Johni Broome |
6-10 |
Auburn |
Devin Carter |
6-3 |
Providence |
Isaiah Cozart |
6-7 |
Eastern Kentucky |
Isaiah Crawford |
6-6 |
Louisiana Tech |
Ryan Dunn |
6-8 |
Virginia |
Zach Edey |
7-4 |
Purdue |
KiAndre Gaddy |
6-6 |
Tarleton State |
Andersson Garcia |
6-7 |
Texas A&M |
Dajuan Harris Jr. |
6-2 |
Kansas |
DaRon Holmes II |
6-10 |
Dayton |
Ryan Kalkbrenner |
7-1 |
Creighton |
Malevy Leons |
6-9 |
Bradley |
Tamin Lipsey |
6-1 |
Iowa State |
Bez Mbeng |
6-4 |
Yale |
Clifford Omoruyi |
6-11 |
Rutgers |
Jamal Shead |
6-1 |
Houston |
Charles Thompson |
6-7 |
Towson |
Kellen Tynes, Jr. |
6-3 |
Maine |
Amari Williams |
6-10 |
Drexel |
Zakai Zeigler |
5-9 |
Tennessee |
2023: Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
2022: KC Ndefo, Saint Peter's
2021: Davion Mitchell: Baylor
2020: Juvaris Hayes, Merrimack
2019: Matisse Thybulle, Washington
2018: Jevon Carter, West Virginia
2017: Jevon Carter, West Virginia
2016: Vashil Fernandez, Valparaiso
2015: Darion Atkins, Virginia
2014: Elfrid Payton, UL-Lafayette
2013: Tommy Brenton, Stony Brook
2012: Anthony Davis, Kentucky
2011: Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
2010: Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State