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)
Â
WAC Player of the Year
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist
Â
WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian
Â
WAC Freshman of the Year
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
Â
WAC Sixth Player of the Year
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State
Â
WAC Coach of the Year
Jon Judkins, Utah Tech
Â
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
Â
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
Â
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
Â
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)
Â
WAC Player of the Year
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist
Â
WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian
Â
WAC Freshman of the Year
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah
Â
WAC Sixth Player of the Year
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State
Â
WAC Coach of the Year
Jon Judkins, Utah Tech
Â
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
Â
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
Â
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
Â
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballSunday, September 27
Sunday, September 27
Sunday, September 27
Monday, September 21
