ARLINGTON, Texas – California Baptist’s Dominique Daniels Jr. earned 2025-26 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Year accolades on Tuesday, voted on by the conference’s seven head coaches as part of end of season awards presented by University Credit Union.

Daniels highlighted five major award winners representing five different institutions from across the WAC. Other top award winners included Abilene Christian’s Rich Smith (WAC Defensive Player of the Year), Southern Utah’s Elijah Duval (Freshman of the Year), Tarleton State’s Dior Johnson (Sixth Player of the Year) and Utah Tech head coach Jon Judkins (Coach of the Year).

Daniels ended the regular season as one of the top 10 scorers in NCAA Division I basketball, averaging 22.6 points per game over his first 30 starts while shooting a career best 43.5 percent from the field, pulling down 3.8 rebounds per game and dishing out 3.3 assists per contest. Daniels registered 23.8 points per start in 18 games against WAC opposition thus far this season, pacing all players in the conference with 21 total games scoring 20 or more points. Daniels’ exploits led CBU to the second seed in the upcoming 2026 Air Force Reserve WAC Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas, as the Lancers have won 13 of their past 15 games entering tournament play.

WAC regular-season champion Utah Valley, CBU and Utah Tech led the way with two total players on WAC all-conference teams. First-team selections included CBU’s Daniels, Abilene Christian’s Bradyn Hubbard, Utah Tech’s Ethan Potter and Utah Valley’s Jackson Holcombe and Trevan Leonhardt. The second team featured Southern Utah’s Duval, Tarleton State’s Johnson, CBU’s Martel Williams, UT Arlington’s Marcell McCreary and Utah Tech’s Noah Bolanga.

2025-26 WAC Men’s Basketball Awards (as voted by the conference’s head coaches)

WAC Player of the Year
Dominique Daniels Jr., G, California Baptist

WAC Defensive Player of the Year
Rich Smith, G, Abilene Christian

WAC Freshman of the Year
Elijah Duval, G, Southern Utah

WAC Sixth Player of the Year
Dior Johnson, G, Tarleton State

WAC Coach of the Year
Jon Judkins, Utah Tech

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

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

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