Kalkbrenner Named to Naismith Trophy Midseason Team
2/14/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Senior center ranks second in the BIG EAST in scoring and rebounding
OMAHA, Neb. – Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner has been named to the 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Men's College Player of the Year Midseason Team. Kalkbrenner is one of 30 players nationally named to the elite list.
Kalkbrenner averages 19.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game for 24th-ranked Creighton (18-7, 11-3 BIG EAST). He leads the conference in blocks per game, defensive rebounds per game (6.13) and field goal percentage (.669) and also ranks among the league leaders in scoring (2nd), rebounding (2nd) and offensive rebounds per game (4th).
The fifth-year senior from Florissant, Mo., ranks second in Creighton history in career points (2,226), blocked shots (373) and field goal percentage (.663). The Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and a Preseason First Team All-American, Kalkbrenner has been named National Player of the Week three times this season. Last week the three-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year was named one of 15 players on the 2025 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, as well as one of 10 men in contention for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Watch List.
Kalkbrenner is Creighton's fourth honoree named to the Midseason Team by the Naismith Trophy in Greg McDermott's 15 years on the Bluejay sideline. Kalkbrenner himself made the list in 2022-23, Baylor Scheierman was recognized in 2023-24, Marcus Zegarowski got the nod in 2020-21 and Doug McDermott was part of the list in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. Creighton's lone winner in program history of the Naismith Trophy was Doug McDermott in 2013-14.
Kalkbrenner averages 19.0 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocked shots per game for 24th-ranked Creighton (18-7, 11-3 BIG EAST). He leads the conference in blocks per game, defensive rebounds per game (6.13) and field goal percentage (.669) and also ranks among the league leaders in scoring (2nd), rebounding (2nd) and offensive rebounds per game (4th).
The fifth-year senior from Florissant, Mo., ranks second in Creighton history in career points (2,226), blocked shots (373) and field goal percentage (.663). The Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year and a Preseason First Team All-American, Kalkbrenner has been named National Player of the Week three times this season. Last week the three-time BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year was named one of 15 players on the 2025 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, as well as one of 10 men in contention for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Watch List.
Kalkbrenner is Creighton's fourth honoree named to the Midseason Team by the Naismith Trophy in Greg McDermott's 15 years on the Bluejay sideline. Kalkbrenner himself made the list in 2022-23, Baylor Scheierman was recognized in 2023-24, Marcus Zegarowski got the nod in 2020-21 and Doug McDermott was part of the list in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14. Creighton's lone winner in program history of the Naismith Trophy was Doug McDermott in 2013-14.
| 2025 JERSEY MIKE'S NAISMITH TROPHY MEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR MIDSEASON TEAM | ||||
| FULL NAME | CLASS | POS | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
| Ace Bailey | Freshman | G/F | Rutgers | Big Ten |
| Johni Broome | Senior | F/C | Auburn | SEC |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | Senior | G | Florida | SEC |
| Donovan Dent | Junior | G | New Mexico | Mountain West |
| Hunter Dickinson | Graduate Student | C | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Eric Dixon | Graduate Student | F | Villanova | BIG EAST |
| Cooper Flagg | Freshman | G/F | Duke | ACC |
| Keshon Gilbert | Senior | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| PJ Haggerty | Sophomore | G | Memphis | AAC |
| Dylan Harper | Freshman | G | Rutgers | Big Ten |
| Chucky Hepburn | Senior | G | Louisville | ACC |
| Graham Ike | Senior | F | Gonzaga | WCC |
| Kasparas Jakucionis | Freshman | G | Illinois | Big Ten |
| Tre Johnson | Freshman | G | Texas | SEC |
| Kam Jones | Senior | G | Marquette | BIG EAST |
| Curtis Jones | Senior | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Senior | C | Creighton | BIG EAST |
| Alex Karaban | Junior | F | UConn | BIG EAST |
| Trey Kaufman-Renn | Junior | F | Purdue | Big Ten |
| Chaz Lanier | Fifth Year | G | Tennessee | SEC |
| RJ Luis Jr. | Junior | G/F | St. John's | BIG EAST |
| Ryan Nembhard | Senior | G | Gonzaga | WCC |
| Derik Queen | Freshman | C | Maryland | Big Ten |
| Maxime Raynaud | Senior | F | Stanford | ACC |
| Mark Sears | Graduate Student | G | Alabama | SEC |
| Javon Small | Senior | G | West Virginia | Big 12 |
| Braden Smith | Junior | G | Purdue | Big Ten |
| John Tonje | Graduate Student | G | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Danny Wolf | Junior | F/C | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Zakai Zeigler | Senior | G | Tennessee | SEC |
Players Mentioned
C
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballCreighton Men's Basketball Availability - 9/24/25
Wednesday, September 24
Meet the Jays - MBB Blake Harper
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Austin Swartz
Friday, August 15
Meet the Jays - MBB Jasen Green
Friday, August 15
