2025-26 CUSA MBB Postseason Awards (PDF)
 
DALLAS – Conference USA has announced its postseason Men’s Basketball All-Conference, All-Freshman and All-Defensive Teams, along with the Superlative Awards (Newcomer, Sixth Player, Defensive, Freshman, Player and Coach of the Year). The CUSA awards are voted on by the league’s coaches, sports information directors and a media representative from each school.
 
Liberty’s Zach Cleveland claims Player of the Year honors and becomes the first Flame to achieve this feat. The senior forward stuffed the stat sheet all year long as he averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 steals per game, all while shooting 62.7 percent from the field during CUSA play. The Bloomington, Ill., native, notched his first career triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists in a home win over Missouri State. He became the 23^rd player in CUSA history and first since Rice’s Max Fiedler in 2023. Cleveland now ranks in the top five in school history in career assists and top 10 in rebounds.
 
Liberty head coach Ritchie McKay was named Gene Bartow Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Flames to back-to-back regular season titles. McKay led Liberty to a 15-0 start in CUSA play and a program-record 17-game winning streak - the second longest in the nation when it was halted. He guided the Flames to its ninth 20-plus win season in the last 10 years. Liberty ranks top 10 nationally in field goal percentage (3^rd, 51.7), three-point percentage (3^rd, 40.2), assist/turnover ratio (3^rd, 1.95) and effective field goal percentage (1^st, 61.6).
 
Sam Houston head coach Chris Mudge was named Gene Bartow Co-Coach of the Year after orchestrating one of the biggest turnarounds in CUSA this season. The Bearkats finished 13-7 and second in the league standings after beginning 0-3. Sam Houston was picked to finish ninth in the preseason poll after going 6-12 just a year ago. In league play, the Bearkats lead in scoring (79.7), scoring margin (4.8), rebound margin (4.7) and team rebounding (38.1).
 
Delaware’s Christian Bliss is the league’s Freshman of the Year. The redshirt freshman guard leads CUSA freshman in at least 15 statistical categories. Bliss ranks top 10 in CUSA during league play in scoring (4^th, 18.0), assists (3^rd, 5.7), field goal percentage (9^th, 44.9) and free throw percentage (9^th, 84.5). Bliss and Derrick Rose (Memphis, 2007-08) are the only freshman in CUSA history to average at least 10.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.0 steals per game on the entire season. The Queens, N.Y., native, leads the nation in minutes per game (39:47).
 
Sam Houston’s Kashie Natt took home Defensive Player of the Year honors after leading the league in steals (39) during conference play. Natt is the leading rebounder in CUSA play for the Bearkats at 8.3 per game while also averaging 9.8 points per game, just shy of a double-double in all 20 games played. The Rayville, La., native, leads the conference in defensive rebounds per game (6.5).
 
Jax State’s Mostapha El Moutaouakkil, a Louisiana transfer, garnered Newcomer of the Year honors after he paced the conference in scoring at 19.9 points per game during CUSA action. The senior from Morocco ranks sixth in the league in rebounding at 6.9 per game and is 12^th in field goal percentage at a 43.0 clip. The senior guard notched the most points in a game this year by a CUSA player when he dropped 38 at Sam Houston back on Feb. 21. He has recorded 14 20-plus point outputs and 26 out of 31 games in double figures.
 
Sam Houston’s Jacob Walker picked up Sixth Player of the Year award after he led the charge off the bench for most of the season for the Bearkats. Walker, a true freshman guard, was a force down the stretch for Sam Houston as he ended league play as the team’s second-leading scorer at 12.5 points per game. His emergence allowed the Bearkats to overcome an 0-3 start and go on a stretch of winning 12 of 13 at one point. Walker scored in double figures in 10 of their last 11 regular season contests.
 
The All-CUSA First Team consisted of Cleveland, El Moutaouakkil, Kennesaw State’s RJ Johnson, Liberty’s Brett Decker Jr. and WKU’s Teagan Moore.
 
The All-CUSA Second Team is made up of Bliss, FIU’s Corey Stephenson, Missouri State’s Keith Palek III, NM State’s Jemel Jones and Sam Houston’s Po’Boigh King.
 
The All-CUSA Third Team includes Natt, Liberty’s Kaden Metheny, LA Tech’s DJ Dudley, MTSU’s Torey Alston and Missouri State’s Michael Osei-Bonsu.
 
The five honorees for the All-Defensive Team were Natt, FIU’s Eric Dibami, Kennesaw State’s Braedan Lue, Liberty’s JJ Harper and LA Tech’s Melian Martinez.
 
Bliss, along with Dibami, Kennesaw State’s Trey Simpson, Sam Houston’s Jacob Walker and WKU’s Armelo Boone were named to the All-Freshman Team.
 
Please see the attached PDF for the full list of awards, including Honorable Mention selections.