Photo by: Cos Lymperopoulos
Kalkbrenner A Finalist For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and Lefty Driesell Award
3/10/2023 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Junior center ranks among one of the nation's best big men
OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner has been named a finalist for a pair of national awards. He's one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the nation's top center, and one of 25 men up for the Lefty Driesell Award that recognizes the nation's top defensive player.
Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its ninth year recognizes the top center in Division I men's college basketball. The 2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award finalists are Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), Armando Bacot (North Carolina), Zach Edey (Purdue) and Adama Sanogo (Connecticut).
The Lefty Driesell Award, given annually to the top defensive player in Division I basketball, is named in honor of the legendary former coach. Driesell won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list and his teams at each stop were known for playing tenacious defense.
Earlier this week Kalkbrenner was named 2023 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, becoming just the 11th player in league history to win the recognition more than once. He was also recognized by Field of 68 as the National Defensive Player of the Year.
Kalkbrenner leads the BIG EAST with 2.2 blocked shots per game, which ranks 18th nationally. The Florissant, Mo., native ranks second in CU history with 191 career blocked shots and anchors a Bluejay defense that led the league during conference play in scoring defense, scoring margin and field goal percentage defense. Kalkbrenner is also second on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game.
Offensively, Kalkbrenner leads the nation in field goal percentage (.706). That figure ranks 12th-best in NCAA single-season history (min. 5 FG/game), while his career field goal percentage of 66.9 percent is fifth-best all-time among players with at least 400 career field goals who make four or more shots per game.
Kalkbrenner and No. 24 Creighton (21-11) return to the court tonight against No. 15 Xavier at 8 p.m. Central in semifinal round play of the BIG EAST Tournament Presented by JEEP.
Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its ninth year recognizes the top center in Division I men's college basketball. The 2023 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award finalists are Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky), Armando Bacot (North Carolina), Zach Edey (Purdue) and Adama Sanogo (Connecticut).
The Lefty Driesell Award, given annually to the top defensive player in Division I basketball, is named in honor of the legendary former coach. Driesell won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list and his teams at each stop were known for playing tenacious defense.
Earlier this week Kalkbrenner was named 2023 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, becoming just the 11th player in league history to win the recognition more than once. He was also recognized by Field of 68 as the National Defensive Player of the Year.
Kalkbrenner leads the BIG EAST with 2.2 blocked shots per game, which ranks 18th nationally. The Florissant, Mo., native ranks second in CU history with 191 career blocked shots and anchors a Bluejay defense that led the league during conference play in scoring defense, scoring margin and field goal percentage defense. Kalkbrenner is also second on the team with 6.2 rebounds per game.
Offensively, Kalkbrenner leads the nation in field goal percentage (.706). That figure ranks 12th-best in NCAA single-season history (min. 5 FG/game), while his career field goal percentage of 66.9 percent is fifth-best all-time among players with at least 400 career field goals who make four or more shots per game.
Kalkbrenner and No. 24 Creighton (21-11) return to the court tonight against No. 15 Xavier at 8 p.m. Central in semifinal round play of the BIG EAST Tournament Presented by JEEP.
Players Mentioned
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