KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NABC on Monday announced the recipients of the 2026 NABC NAIA Coach and Player of the Year awards, along with the NABC NAIA All-America Team.
Freed-Hardeman’s Drew Stutts was voted as the NABC NAIA Coach of the Year after leading the Lions to their second national championship in three years. Stutts’ team went 35-1 overall and finished the season on a 32-game winning streak, capped by a 76-71 victory over Langston in the national title game. Freed-Hardeman outscored its opponents by an average of 22.4 points per game and forced 20.6 turnovers per game this season.
Northwestern’s Jesse Van Kalsbeek, meanwhile, was selected as the NABC NAIA Player of the Year. The sophomore forward was named the GPAC Player of the Year after leading the NAIA in scoring at 27.8 points per game and ranking second nationally in rebounding at 12.4 per game. The sophomore forward scored 20 or more points in all but one game this season.
The NABC NAIA All-America Team is listed below:
2025-26 NABC NAIA All-America Team
Caedmon Bontrager, Indiana Wesleyan
Cole Bowen, Graceland
Hayden Brittingham, LSU Shreveport
Bradley Bunch, Pikeville
Micah Clark, Nelson
Nick Hopkins, Hope International
Tamaje Izuagbe, Oklahoma Wesleyan
Jalen Langsy, Northwestern
Omari Nesbit, Rocky Mountain
Ese Onakpoma, Arizona Christian
Ian Raasch, Grace
Jesse Van Kalsbeek, Northwestern
