.png&width=22&height=22&type=webp)
Daniel Freitag Named to CollegeInsider.com Lou Henson Award Watchlist
12/18/2025 4:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
BOSTON - CollegeInsider.com has announced the 'Early Season Watch List' for the 2025-26 Lou Henson award, which is presented annually to the top player in Division I college basketball. Buffalo sophomore guard Daniel Freitag was one of just 50 players to make the list.
Freitag has had a great start to the season as he leads the team and the Mid-American Conference with 20.5 ppg. The two-time MAC Player of the Week has had five 20-point performances, including a pair of 30-point games to start the year. He is just one of six players in Division I basketball to average at least 20.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.5 apg. The Bloomington, Minn. native is one of the best players in the country at getting to the free throw line. He has made 79 free throws while attempting 95, good for fourth and eighth in the country. These marks also lead the MAC. In Buffalo's last game, he recorded his first career double-double with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
Previous Bulls that have been honored on this list are Javon McCrea (2014), Justin Moss (2015), CJ Massinburg (2018, 2019) and Nick Perkins (2019).
The Lou Henson award 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.
Click here for the full release.
For all the latest on UB men's basketball, follow @UBuffaloMBB on Twitter/X, @ubuffalo_mbb on Instagram and like the UB Men's Basketball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Freitag has had a great start to the season as he leads the team and the Mid-American Conference with 20.5 ppg. The two-time MAC Player of the Week has had five 20-point performances, including a pair of 30-point games to start the year. He is just one of six players in Division I basketball to average at least 20.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.5 apg. The Bloomington, Minn. native is one of the best players in the country at getting to the free throw line. He has made 79 free throws while attempting 95, good for fourth and eighth in the country. These marks also lead the MAC. In Buffalo's last game, he recorded his first career double-double with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
Previous Bulls that have been honored on this list are Javon McCrea (2014), Justin Moss (2015), CJ Massinburg (2018, 2019) and Nick Perkins (2019).
The Lou Henson award 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.
Click here for the full release.
For all the latest on UB men's basketball, follow @UBuffaloMBB on Twitter/X, @ubuffalo_mbb on Instagram and like the UB Men's Basketball Facebook page.
Click here for ticket information.
Click here for information on the Bulls Championship Fund and how you can help UB Athletics.
Players Mentioned
Guard
/ Men's BasketballMen's Basketball Post Game Presser at East Carolina
Sunday, December 14
Men's Basketball at UMBC Post Game Presser
Wednesday, December 10
Coach G on the best crowd since 2022.
Saturday, December 06
Men's Basketball vs St. Bonaventure Post Game Presser
Saturday, December 06
