In a stunning sweep of the SEC’s top honors, Arkansas freshman sensation Darius Acuff Jr. has been named Player of the Year and Coach of the Year goes to Florida’s Todd Golden, who engineered a remarkable regular-season title defense after massive roster turnover.
The Southeastern Conference’s coaches have delivered a resounding verdict on the 2025-26 season: Arkansas guard Darius Acuff Jr. is the Player of the Year and Florida’s Todd Golden is the Coach of the Year, as confirmed by the Associated Press’ college basketball hub.
Acuff’s award caps a freshman campaign for the ages. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 22.2 points and 6.4 assists per game, joining Hall of Famer Pete Maravich as only the second player in league history to lead the SEC in both categories in a single season. His scoring prowess and playmaking have thrust him into the NBA draft lottery conversation, with many projecting him as a top-10 pick.
The Razorbacks, ranked 17th in the AP Top 25 poll, finished the regular season 23-8 overall and 13-5 in SEC play, securing the No. 3 seed in this week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tennessee.
Golden’s achievement is equally, if not more, impressive. Inheriting a Florida roster that lost three starting guards and two top assistants from last year’s national championship team, he guided the Gators to a 25-6 overall record and a dominant 16-2 mark in conference play. Florida, ranked fourth in the AP Top 25 poll, enters the SEC Tournament on an 11-game winning streak and having won 20 of its last 22 games, earning the top seed.
The Gators’ consistency in the face of such turnover is a testament to Golden’s system and player development. Florida has looked every bit the part of a defending national champion, albeit with a revamped lineup.
Other Major Awards
In addition to the top honors, the coaches recognized several other players for their contributions:
- Freshman of the Year: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas (also Player of the Year)
- Newcomer of the Year: Dailyn Swain, Texas
- Sixth Man of the Year: Urban Klavzar, Florida
- Defensive Player of the Year: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
- SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
All-SEC Teams Recognize Depth and Versatility
The conference’s top honors were distributed across several players, with the following all-conference teams highlighting the SEC’s talent pool:
First Team
- Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
- Ja’Kobi Gillespie, Tennessee
- Thomas Haugh, Florida
- Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama
- Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Second Team
- Nate Ament, Tennessee
- Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
- Mark Mitchell, Missouri
- Otega Oweh, Kentucky
- Dailyn Swain, Texas
Third Team
- Rashaun Agee, Texas A&M
- Alex Condon, Florida
- Keyshawn Hall, Auburn
- Aden Holloway, Alabama
- Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
All-Defensive Team
- Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
- Somto Cyril, Georgia
- Felix Okpara, Tennessee
- Billy Richmond III, Arkansas
- Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman Team
- Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
- Amari Allen, Alabama
- Nate Ament, Tennessee
- Malachi Moreno, Kentucky
- Meleek Thomas, Arkansas
What This Means for March
The SEC Tournament promises to be an electrifying showcase of the nation’s most competitive conference. With Acuff leading Arkansas and Golden’s Florida entering as the top seed, the stage is set for a potential preview of the Final Four.
For Acuff, the Player of the Year award adds momentum to his rising draft stock. A deep NCAA tournament run could cement his status as a top-three pick. For Golden, the Coach of the Year honor validates his ability to sustain a championship-caliber program despite significant roster churn—a skill that will be closely watched by NBA teams given his previous NBA assistant coaching experience.
The awards also signal a changing of the guard in the SEC, with freshmen and sophomores dotting the All-SEC teams. The conference’s depth, as evidenced by the tight distribution of honors, suggests the SEC tournament will be unpredictable and fiercely contested.
As the SEC Tournament tips off in Nashville, all eyes will be on whether Acuff can lead Arkansas to a championship and whether Golden’s Florida can capture a second consecutive SEC tournament title to bolster its NCAA seeding.
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