William P. Melchionni is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA) and American Basketball Association (ABA) player. A three time All-Star, Melchionni is one of only four players to win NBA and ABA championships.
Thomas Joseph Gola was an American basketball player and politician. He is widely considered one of the greatest NCAA basketball players of all time. Gola was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976. He led his high school team to the Philadelphia Catholic League championship, his college team to the National Invitation Tournament championship and the NCAA championship, and was on the Philadelphia Warriors 1956 championship team, all in the space of six years.
The Most Outstanding Player (MOP) is awarded to one player after the conclusion of the championship game of the NCAA Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments. The award is also often referred to as the Final Four Most Outstanding Player, referencing the conclusion of the Final Four semifinals and championship games. Accredited media members at the championship game vote on the award.
Jerold Taylor "Jay" Wright Jr. is a former American college basketball coach. He served as the head coach of Villanova University from 2001 until 2022. Wright led the Villanova Wildcats to six Big East Conference championships and 16 NCAA tournament appearances in 21 seasons as head coach. Under Wright, Villanova reached four Final Fours and won two national championships in 2016 and 2018.
The Big East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year award is given to the men's basketball player in the Big East Conference voted as the top performer by the conference coaches. It was first awarded at the end of the league's inaugural season of 1979–80.
The Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award was an annual college basketball award in the United States intended to honor players who excelled on the court in spite of their height. The award, named in honor of James Naismith's daughter-in-law, was established for men in 1969 and for women in 1984. The men's award was presented to the nation's most outstanding senior who stands 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) or shorter, while the women's award was presented to the top senior who is 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) or shorter. Early in the women's award's history, the cut-off height was 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m). The men's award was selected by a panel from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), while the women's was selected by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). The award was discontinued following the 2013–14 season.
The Pete Newell Big Man Award has been awarded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) since 2000. It is presented to the best low-post player each season. The award is named after Pete Newell, the coach who ran the Pete Newell Big Man Camp for low-post players from 1976 until his death in 2008. Newell coached for 15 years at San Francisco, Michigan State, and California, compiling an overall record of 234 wins and 123 losses, including NIT and NCAA championships in 1949 and 1959, respectively.
The NABC Coach of the Year is an award given annually by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to recognize the top head coach in men's college basketball across the four largest college athletic associations in the United States. The award has been given since the 1958–59 season to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I coaches, since 1961–62 to Division II, and since 1975–76 to Division III coaches. At the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) level it has been awarded since 1992–93, while the two-year schools' coaches have been honored since 1983–84. The award is currently sponsored by the United States Marine Corps.
The Robert V. Geasey Trophy is awarded to the most valuable men's basketball player in the Philadelphia Big 5, an informal association of college athletic programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The trophy does not represent the entire regular season's most valuable player, the award goes simply to the best basketball player for Big 5 games played that season. It has been given since 1956 and is granted by the Herb Good Basketball Club, which is composed of local media members who cover the Big 5. The Philadelphia Big 5 includes La Salle University, the University of Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's University, Temple University and Villanova University. Through at least the 1981–82 season, the most valuable player award was sometimes also known to be presented with the Michael Saxe Trophy, named after the first head coach in Villanova men's basketball history (1920–1926).
The Lou Henson Award is an award given annually by Collegeinsider.com to the most outstanding mid-major men's college basketball player in NCAA Division I competition. The award, established in 2010, is named for esteemed men's college basketball head coach Lou Henson. Henson, who coached at Hardin–Simmons, New Mexico State, and Illinois, compiled 779 all-time wins. He is in the top 10 of NCAA coaching wins in men's basketball history.
Joshua Aaron Hart is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected in the first round of the 2017 NBA draft as the 30th overall pick by the Utah Jazz before being traded on draft night to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate center. Following the success of the Bob Cousy Award which had been awarded since 2004, the award was one of four new awards created as part of the inaugural College Basketball Awards show in 2015. It is named after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played the position. The inaugural winner was Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin.
The Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate power forward. Following the success of the Bob Cousy Award which had been awarded since 2004, the award was one of four new awards created as part of the inaugural College Basketball Awards show in 2015. It is named after Karl Malone, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played the position. The inaugural winner was Montrezl Harrell of Louisville.
The Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award is an annual basketball award given by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame to the top men's collegiate shooting guard. The award is named after former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard, Jerry West. Following the success of the Bob Cousy Award that had been awarded since 2004, the award was one of four new awards created as part of the inaugural College Basketball Awards show in 2015. The inaugural winner was D'Angelo Russell of Ohio State.
Mikal Bridges is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats, winning national championships in 2016 and 2018. Bridges was selected with the tenth overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2018 NBA draft before being traded to the Phoenix Suns on draft night, where he was a part of the team that reached the 2021 NBA Finals. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in February 2023 and was later traded to the Knicks in July 2024. Nicknamed “the Warden”, Bridges holds the active record for the most consecutive games played, having not missed a game in his NBA career since being drafted.
The 2000 Villanova Wildcats football team represented the Villanova University during the 2000 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Wildcats were led by 16th-year head coach Andy Talley played their home games at Villanova Stadium in Villanova, Pennsylvania
Jeremiah Christian Robinson-Earl is an American professional basketball player for the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats.
The Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual basketball award given to the most outstanding defensive player in men's and women's college basketball. It has been awarded by the Atlanta Tipoff Club since 2018 and is named in honor of James Naismith, the inventor of the sport.
Saddiq Jaleel Bey is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats.
Jermaine Samuels Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Villanova Wildcats.
