IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s men’s basketball honors for the 2024-25 season. The selections were made by the conference’s 13 head coaches.
Memphis, the No. 1 seed for the 2025 American Men’s Basketball Championship, earned three awards. Redshirt sophomore guard PJ Haggerty was named the Player of the Year, while redshirt senior forward Dain Dainja was selected as the inaugural Newcomer of the Year. Tiger head coach Penny Hardaway was picked by his peers as the Coach of the Year, while the late South Florida head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim was named honorary Coach of the Year.
UAB senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg repeated as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, while Florida Atlantic center Matas Vokietaitis was the Freshman of the Year and North Texas junior forward Brenen Lorient was named the Sixth Man of the Year.
Florida Atlantic redshirt junior forward Tre Carroll was honored with two distinctions. He was selected for the Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportmanship Award and was picked, along with North Texas senior forward Moulaye Sissoko, as the Most Improved Players.
Haggerty leads The American and is fifth in Division I scoring with 21.2 points per game. He is also third in the league in steals (1.8 per game) and ninth in assists (3.8). He was unanimously selected as the conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2023-24. Haggerty becomes the second Tiger to win American Player of the Year, joining Precious Achiuwa in 2019-20.
Dainja is averaging 13.7 points for the season, but that rose to 15.7 points per game in conference play, including three double-doubles in Memphis’ last five games.
Hardaway has led the Tigers to a 26-5 overall record and 16-2 mark in conference play on the way to Memphis’ first regular-season championship as part of The American.
Lendeborg won his second Defensive Player of the Year honor and leads the conference in rebounding at 10.5 per game and blocks with 1.8 per contest.
Vokietaitis earned Florida Atlantic’s first Freshman of the Year honor in the league and is averaging 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Carroll was honored with the renamed Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportsmanship Award for best exemplifying the qualities of sportsmanship, fair play and leadership. Abdur-Rahim tragically passed away on October 24, 2024. In only five years as a head coach, Abdur-Rahim established himself as one of the best in college basketball, winning championships in two conferences and taking both South Florida and Kennesaw State to unprecedented levels of success.
Carroll and Sissoko became the first players from Florida Atlantic and North Texas to earn the Most Improved Player honor. Carroll saw his points per game rise from 4.0 in 2023-24 to 12.2 this season, while Sissoko has seen his points improve 4.6 points per game year-over-year.
Lorient was named the Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while coming off the bench for the Mean Green.
Memphis had three members of the 10-person All-Conference First Team, including Dainja, Haggerty and senior guard Tyrese Hunter. East Carolina had two, including senior guard RJ Felton and graduate forward C.J. Walker, as did North Texas with Lorient and senior guard Atin Wright. Also on the first team was Lendeborg, Tulane redshirt sophomore guard Rowan Brumbaugh and Wichita State senior guard Xavier Bell.
The 2025 American Men’s Basketball Championship begins Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT with Rice and Charlotte competing in the first-round game at the Super Pit in Denton, Texas. The Championship runs through Sunday, March 16 and the remainder of the games will be played at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
2024-25 American Men’s Basketball Honors
Player of the Year
PJ Haggerty, R-So., G, Memphis
Coach of the Year
Penny Hardaway, Memphis
Amir Abdur-Rahim, South Florida - Honorary
Newcomer of the Year
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., F, Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB
Freshman of the Year
Matas Vokietaitis, C, Florida Atlantic
Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportsmanship Award
Tre Carroll, R-Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Most Improved Players
Tre Carroll, R-Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Moulaye Sissoko, Sr., F, North Texas
Sixth Man of the Year
Brenen Lorient, Jr., F, North Texas
All-Conference First Team
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB*
RJ Felton, Sr., G, East Carolina*
C.J. Walker, Gr., F, East Carolina
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., F, Memphis*
PJ Haggerty, R-So., G, Memphis*
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., G, Memphis
Brenen Lorient, Jr., F, North Texas
Atin Wright, Sr., G, North Texas*
Rowan Brumbaugh, R-So., G, Tulane
Xavier Bell, Sr., G, Wichita State
All-Conference Second Team
Alejandro Vasquez, Sr., G, UAB
Tre Carroll, Florida Atlantic
Kaleb Glenn, So., F, Florida Atlantic
Baba Miller, Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Jamille Reynolds, Sr., F, South Florida
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., G, Temple
Primo Spears, UTSA
Kaleb Banks, Jr., F, Tulane
Dwon Odom, Gr., G, Tulsa
Corey Washington, Jr., F, Wichita State
All-Newcomer Team
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., F, Memphis*
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., G, Memphis
Atin Wright, Sr., G, North Texas
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., G, Temple
Rowan Brumbaugh, R-So., G, Tulane
All-Freshman Team
Matas Vokietaitis, C, Florida Atlantic*
CJ Brown, G, South Florida*
Aiden Tobiason, G, Temple
Kam Williams, G/F, Tulane*
Ian Smikle, F, Tulsa
* denotes unanimous selection
Memphis, the No. 1 seed for the 2025 American Men’s Basketball Championship, earned three awards. Redshirt sophomore guard PJ Haggerty was named the Player of the Year, while redshirt senior forward Dain Dainja was selected as the inaugural Newcomer of the Year. Tiger head coach Penny Hardaway was picked by his peers as the Coach of the Year, while the late South Florida head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim was named honorary Coach of the Year.
UAB senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg repeated as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, while Florida Atlantic center Matas Vokietaitis was the Freshman of the Year and North Texas junior forward Brenen Lorient was named the Sixth Man of the Year.
Florida Atlantic redshirt junior forward Tre Carroll was honored with two distinctions. He was selected for the Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportmanship Award and was picked, along with North Texas senior forward Moulaye Sissoko, as the Most Improved Players.
Haggerty leads The American and is fifth in Division I scoring with 21.2 points per game. He is also third in the league in steals (1.8 per game) and ninth in assists (3.8). He was unanimously selected as the conference’s Freshman of the Year in 2023-24. Haggerty becomes the second Tiger to win American Player of the Year, joining Precious Achiuwa in 2019-20.
Dainja is averaging 13.7 points for the season, but that rose to 15.7 points per game in conference play, including three double-doubles in Memphis’ last five games.
Hardaway has led the Tigers to a 26-5 overall record and 16-2 mark in conference play on the way to Memphis’ first regular-season championship as part of The American.
Lendeborg won his second Defensive Player of the Year honor and leads the conference in rebounding at 10.5 per game and blocks with 1.8 per contest.
Vokietaitis earned Florida Atlantic’s first Freshman of the Year honor in the league and is averaging 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Carroll was honored with the renamed Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportsmanship Award for best exemplifying the qualities of sportsmanship, fair play and leadership. Abdur-Rahim tragically passed away on October 24, 2024. In only five years as a head coach, Abdur-Rahim established himself as one of the best in college basketball, winning championships in two conferences and taking both South Florida and Kennesaw State to unprecedented levels of success.
Carroll and Sissoko became the first players from Florida Atlantic and North Texas to earn the Most Improved Player honor. Carroll saw his points per game rise from 4.0 in 2023-24 to 12.2 this season, while Sissoko has seen his points improve 4.6 points per game year-over-year.
Lorient was named the Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds while coming off the bench for the Mean Green.
Memphis had three members of the 10-person All-Conference First Team, including Dainja, Haggerty and senior guard Tyrese Hunter. East Carolina had two, including senior guard RJ Felton and graduate forward C.J. Walker, as did North Texas with Lorient and senior guard Atin Wright. Also on the first team was Lendeborg, Tulane redshirt sophomore guard Rowan Brumbaugh and Wichita State senior guard Xavier Bell.
The 2025 American Men’s Basketball Championship begins Wednesday, March 12 at 1 p.m. ET/noon CT with Rice and Charlotte competing in the first-round game at the Super Pit in Denton, Texas. The Championship runs through Sunday, March 16 and the remainder of the games will be played at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
2024-25 American Men’s Basketball Honors
Player of the Year
PJ Haggerty, R-So., G, Memphis
Coach of the Year
Penny Hardaway, Memphis
Amir Abdur-Rahim, South Florida - Honorary
Newcomer of the Year
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., F, Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB
Freshman of the Year
Matas Vokietaitis, C, Florida Atlantic
Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportsmanship Award
Tre Carroll, R-Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Most Improved Players
Tre Carroll, R-Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Moulaye Sissoko, Sr., F, North Texas
Sixth Man of the Year
Brenen Lorient, Jr., F, North Texas
All-Conference First Team
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., F, UAB*
RJ Felton, Sr., G, East Carolina*
C.J. Walker, Gr., F, East Carolina
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., F, Memphis*
PJ Haggerty, R-So., G, Memphis*
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., G, Memphis
Brenen Lorient, Jr., F, North Texas
Atin Wright, Sr., G, North Texas*
Rowan Brumbaugh, R-So., G, Tulane
Xavier Bell, Sr., G, Wichita State
All-Conference Second Team
Alejandro Vasquez, Sr., G, UAB
Tre Carroll, Florida Atlantic
Kaleb Glenn, So., F, Florida Atlantic
Baba Miller, Jr., F, Florida Atlantic
Jamille Reynolds, Sr., F, South Florida
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., G, Temple
Primo Spears, UTSA
Kaleb Banks, Jr., F, Tulane
Dwon Odom, Gr., G, Tulsa
Corey Washington, Jr., F, Wichita State
All-Newcomer Team
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., F, Memphis*
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., G, Memphis
Atin Wright, Sr., G, North Texas
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., G, Temple
Rowan Brumbaugh, R-So., G, Tulane
All-Freshman Team
Matas Vokietaitis, C, Florida Atlantic*
CJ Brown, G, South Florida*
Aiden Tobiason, G, Temple
Kam Williams, G/F, Tulane*
Ian Smikle, F, Tulsa
* denotes unanimous selection
