Marquette University Athletics
Kolek Named To Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
2/9/2023 11:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Award presented to nation's top player
Marquette guard Tyler Kolek has been named to the Naismith Midseason Team, a 30-member list of candidates for the prestigious postseason award.Â
Earlier this week, Kolek was named one of 10 candidates for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard.  Kolek currently leads the league and is third in the nation in assists per game (7.7) through outings of Feb. 8.  He is on pace to become just the fourth player in Marquette history to dish out 200 assists in a season (see below) and has already surpassed his season total from 2021-22.  He was tabbed BIG EAST Player of the Week on Jan. 30 and has been named to the league's weekly honor roll on four occasions.
Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the first Naismith trophy was awarded in 1969 to UCLA's Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The trophy was sculpted by Marty C. Dawe of Atlanta and has become among the most prestigious national honors awarded each year to top basketball players in the nation. The Naismith Women's Player of the Year Award was first given to Anne Donovan of Old Dominion University in 1983.
Each year the club's board publishes the "Naismith Watch" list that is made up of the top 50 players to watch in men's and women's college basketball. The organization also releases a list of 30 mid-season Naismith candidates. At the end of the season the  Naismith Trophy is awarded to the player of the year in men's and women's college basketball. A national voting academy of leading basketball coaches, administrators and journalists narrows the group down to four finalists based on player performance throughout the season. The final four Naismith finalists will make up the ballot and the player of the year is voted on by the group.
Earlier this week, Kolek was named one of 10 candidates for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard.  Kolek currently leads the league and is third in the nation in assists per game (7.7) through outings of Feb. 8.  He is on pace to become just the fourth player in Marquette history to dish out 200 assists in a season (see below) and has already surpassed his season total from 2021-22.  He was tabbed BIG EAST Player of the Week on Jan. 30 and has been named to the league's weekly honor roll on four occasions.
Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, the creator of the game of basketball, the first Naismith trophy was awarded in 1969 to UCLA's Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The trophy was sculpted by Marty C. Dawe of Atlanta and has become among the most prestigious national honors awarded each year to top basketball players in the nation. The Naismith Women's Player of the Year Award was first given to Anne Donovan of Old Dominion University in 1983.
Each year the club's board publishes the "Naismith Watch" list that is made up of the top 50 players to watch in men's and women's college basketball. The organization also releases a list of 30 mid-season Naismith candidates. At the end of the season the  Naismith Trophy is awarded to the player of the year in men's and women's college basketball. A national voting academy of leading basketball coaches, administrators and journalists narrows the group down to four finalists based on player performance throughout the season. The final four Naismith finalists will make up the ballot and the player of the year is voted on by the group.
Players Mentioned
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