WICHITA, Kan. (GoShockers.com) – A pair of Shockers picked up American Athletic Conference regular season honors Tuesday, as announced by the league office.
Xavier Bell was named a First Team All-Conference honoree and Corey Washington earned Second Team All-Conference honors. They are the first pair of Shocker teammates to earn conference honors since 2022 when Tyson Etienne was named to the Third Team, Dexter Dennis the Defensive Player of the Year and Ricky Council IV took home Sixth Man of the Year.
Bell becomes the fourth Shocker to earn first team accolades and the first since Tyson Etienne in 2021. During conference play Bell averaged 16.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and converted 90.7 percent of his free throw attempts. He reached double figures in all but two games and scored 20 or more four times, including back-to-back 20-point games vs. Florida Atlantic and Tulane. He was named American Athletic Conference Player of the Week on Feb. 24. As it stands now, Bell has the seventh highest single season free throw percentage in school history at 88.5 percent. His 131 made free throws are just outside the top 15 on the single season charts.
Washington is second on the team in both scoring (13.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.1 rpg) to go with 21 steals and 11 blocks. Six of his eight double-doubles this season came in league play. The Little Rock, Ark., native reached double figures in all but three games during AAC play, including a season-long stretch of 14 straight games with 10 or more points. He scored a season-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds vs. UAB.
Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference Championship play on Thursday in the second round vs. 9th-seeded South Florida at 11:30 a.m. on ESPNU.
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
