Marshall University Athletics
Speer Named to Lou Henson Player of the Year Award Early Season Watchlist
12/20/2025 11:44:00 AM | Men's Basketball
One of two only from the SBC named to list
Championship Fund
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University Men's Basketball guard Jalen Speer was named to the Lou Henson Player of the Year Early Season Watchlist.
The native of Gainesville, Florida, was one of 50 named to the list and one of only two student-athletes from the Sun Belt Conference.
Speer is averaging 14.0 points with 5.8 assists per game, leading the Sun Belt and ranking 29th nationally, with his 64 assists also leading the SBC and sitting 37th nationally.
The Lou Henson award, which is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Coach Henson is the winningest coach in Illinois basketball history with 423 victories. During his 21 seasons (1975-1996), Henson led the Fighting Illini to 16 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and a Final Four appearance in 1989.
Henson, who is also the all-time winningest coach in New Mexico State history with 289 victories, is one of only 11 coaches to take two different schools to the NCAA Final Four. His teams have made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.
Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 2020.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
For all the latest information about Marshall Men's Basketball, follow @Herd_MBB on Twitter and @herdmbb on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University Men's Basketball guard Jalen Speer was named to the Lou Henson Player of the Year Early Season Watchlist.
The native of Gainesville, Florida, was one of 50 named to the list and one of only two student-athletes from the Sun Belt Conference.
Speer is averaging 14.0 points with 5.8 assists per game, leading the Sun Belt and ranking 29th nationally, with his 64 assists also leading the SBC and sitting 37th nationally.
The Lou Henson award, which is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Coach Henson is the winningest coach in Illinois basketball history with 423 victories. During his 21 seasons (1975-1996), Henson led the Fighting Illini to 16 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and a Final Four appearance in 1989.
Henson, who is also the all-time winningest coach in New Mexico State history with 289 victories, is one of only 11 coaches to take two different schools to the NCAA Final Four. His teams have made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.
Coach Henson passed away on July 25, 2020.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
For all the latest information about Marshall Men's Basketball, follow @Herd_MBB on Twitter and @herdmbb on Instagram.
To follow all Thundering Herd sports and get live stats, schedules and free live audio, download the Marshall Athletics App for iOS and Android.
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