MARCH 30, 2012
ANTHONY DAVIS WINS THE LEFTY DRIESELL AWARD
NEW ORLEANS, LA -- Kentucky's Anthony Davis is the recipient of the 2012 Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year award.
Davis finished with 186 blocks which is the most in the history of the SEC. He's also been the driving force in that statistical category in helping the Wildcats break the NCAA all-time mark with a running total of 333 for the season. He also set the all-time NCAA mark for freshmen.
"Anthony Davis had one of the more memorable freshmen seasons in history," said Angela Lento, co-founder of CollegeInsider.com. "He is one of those rare players that can dominate the game without scoring. He's a special talent."
Davis owns freshman records for blocks and rebounds by a Kentucky first-year player. He's posted 399 total rebounds surpassing DeMarcus Cousins' record set back in the 2009-10 season. Davis has tied the UK freshman record for double-doubles (20) set by Cousins during the same season. He also led Kentucky with 10.4 rebounds per game.
The award is named in honor of coaching legend Lefty Driesell, who is the only person to ever win 100 games at four different Division I schools. He is best known for his time at Maryland, leading the program to the National Invitational Tournament title in 1972 and its second-ever ACC Tournament Championship in 1984. He finished his career at Maryland with a 348-159 record and concluded his career with an impressive 786-394 mark.
The award was presented at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet in New Orleans, site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.
> 2012 LEFTY DRIESELL DEFENSIVE ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Larry Anderson | 6-5 | Sr. | Long Beach State |
Quincy Acy | 6-7 | Sr. | Baylor |
Kent Bazemore | 6-5 | Sr. | Old Dominion |
Aaron Craft | 6-2 | So. | Ohio State |
Jae Crowder | 6-6 | Sr. | Marquette |
Anthony Davis | 6-11 | Fr. | Kentucky |
Gorgui Dieng | 6-11 | So. | Louisville |
Jontel Evans | 5-11 | Jr. | Virginia |
Draymond Green | 6-7 | Sr. | Michigan State |
Jorge Gutierrez | 6-3 | Sr. | California |
John Henson | 6-11 | Jr. | North Carolina |
Bernard James | 6-10 | Sr. | Florida State |
Fab Melo | 7-0 | So. | Syracuse |
C.J. McCollum | 6-3 | Jr. | Lehigh |
Victor Oladipo | 6-5 | So. | Indiana |
Jeff Taylor | 6-7 | Sr. | Vanderbilt |
Jeff Withey | 7-0 | Jr. | Kansas |
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