Smith Named Top Defender, Hubbard All-WAC First Team
3/10/2026 8:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Abilene Christian point guard Rich Smith was named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and forward Bradyn Hubbard earned a spot on the All-WAC First Team, the conference announced Tuesday night.
The awards were voted upon by each schools' head coaches.
Smith is ACU's first player to win a superlative conference award since Jaylen Franklin (2015-16) and Jalone Friday (2016-17) won the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year award in back-to-back seasons. He finished the regular season with a team-high 57 steals, which is third-most in the WAC. That total is also tied for sixth most in a season in ACU's Division I history.
Hubbard is the first Wildcat to make the All-WAC First Team in the team's five-year run in the conference. He averages 16.2 points (4th in WAC), 4.6 rebounds (15th), and 1.8 steals (5th). Hubbard also ranked 6th in the league with a 40% clip on field goal attempts.
ACU plays in the opening round of the 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. CT against Tarleton State at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ACU Sports Network. The Wildcats defeated the Texans twice in the regular season. The two programs last met in a conference tournament in the 1998 Lone Star Conference Tournament.
Wednesday's winner advances to the tournament quarterfinals to face Utah Tech on Thursday at 10:30 p.m. CT.
2025-26 WAC Men's Basketball Awards (as voted by the conference's head coaches)
WAC Player of the Year
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist
WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian
WAC Freshman of the Year
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
WAC Sixth Player of the Year
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State
WAC Coach of the Year
Jon Judkins, Utah Tech
WAC All-Conference First Team
Bradyn Hubbard, F, Abilene Christian
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist
Ethan Potter, F, Utah Tech
Jackson Holcombe, G, Utah Valley
Trevan Leonhardt, G, Utah Valley
WAC All-Conference Second Team
Martel Williams, G, California Baptist
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State
Marcell McCreary, G, UT Arlington
Noah Bolanga, F, Utah Tech
WAC All-Defensive Team
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian
Jaiden Feroah, F, Southern Utah
Jordan Mizell, G, Tarleton State
Jackson Holcombe, G, Utah Valley
Trevan Leonhardt, G, Utah Valley
WAC All-Freshman Team
Jordan Muller, G, California Baptist
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
Andy Sigiscar, F, Tarleton State
Jordan Lowery, G, UT Arlington
Tanner Davis, G, Utah Tech
The awards were voted upon by each schools' head coaches.
Smith is ACU's first player to win a superlative conference award since Jaylen Franklin (2015-16) and Jalone Friday (2016-17) won the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year award in back-to-back seasons. He finished the regular season with a team-high 57 steals, which is third-most in the WAC. That total is also tied for sixth most in a season in ACU's Division I history.
Hubbard is the first Wildcat to make the All-WAC First Team in the team's five-year run in the conference. He averages 16.2 points (4th in WAC), 4.6 rebounds (15th), and 1.8 steals (5th). Hubbard also ranked 6th in the league with a 40% clip on field goal attempts.
ACU plays in the opening round of the 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. CT against Tarleton State at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and the ACU Sports Network. The Wildcats defeated the Texans twice in the regular season. The two programs last met in a conference tournament in the 1998 Lone Star Conference Tournament.
Wednesday's winner advances to the tournament quarterfinals to face Utah Tech on Thursday at 10:30 p.m. CT.
2025-26 WAC Men's Basketball Awards (as voted by the conference's head coaches)
WAC Player of the Year
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist
WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian
WAC Freshman of the Year
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
WAC Sixth Player of the Year
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State
WAC Coach of the Year
Jon Judkins, Utah Tech
WAC All-Conference First Team
Bradyn Hubbard, F, Abilene Christian
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist
Ethan Potter, F, Utah Tech
Jackson Holcombe, G, Utah Valley
Trevan Leonhardt, G, Utah Valley
WAC All-Conference Second Team
Martel Williams, G, California Baptist
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State
Marcell McCreary, G, UT Arlington
Noah Bolanga, F, Utah Tech
WAC All-Defensive Team
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian
Jaiden Feroah, F, Southern Utah
Jordan Mizell, G, Tarleton State
Jackson Holcombe, G, Utah Valley
Trevan Leonhardt, G, Utah Valley
WAC All-Freshman Team
Jordan Muller, G, California Baptist
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
Andy Sigiscar, F, Tarleton State
Jordan Lowery, G, UT Arlington
Tanner Davis, G, Utah Tech
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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