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College Sports

Arkansas Razorbacks Darius Acuff Jr. Named 2025-26 SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year

Jacob Perrine photo
By Jacob Perrine · 2 min read
Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) during the game against the Florida Gators in the first half.
Feb 28, 2026; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Darius Acuff Jr. (5) during the game against the Florida Gators in the first half at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images

In an already legendary first-year campaign in Fayetteville, Arkansas, freshman sensation Darius Acuff Jr. continued his excellent season as he took home both the SEC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year awards. Acuff Jr. was also named to the All-SEC First Team and All-Freshman Team.

Acuff Jr. Makes Conference and Program History with Sweeping of Conference Awards

While there were plenty of worthy candidates for both of this year’s awards, it was essentially Acuff Jr’s awards to lose following a historic season. Acuff Jr. averaged 22 points and 6 assists per game in the regular season, becoming the first player since LSU legend Pete Maravich to lead the SEC in both categories in a single season. Acuff Jr. currently ranks 9th in the nation in scoring this season, joining other freshman stars like BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Duke’s Cameron Boozer in the top 10.

Acuff Jr. also became the third player to sweep both awards in a single season, joining Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and Alabama’s Brandon Miller in the process. Acuff Jr. led Arkansas to one of their best regular seasons in program history, as the Razorbacks finished with a 23-8 record and a 13-5 mark in SEC play. Acuff Jr. is the first Arkansas player to win Player of the Year honors since Bobby Portis, and the 6th player coached by John Calipari to win the award as well.

National Awards Still in Play for Acuff Jr.

It isn’t just SEC awards that have Acuff Jr’s name on it, as the freshman is also a contender to take home some more hardware nationally this season. Acuff Jr. is currently on the short list for the Wooden Award and was named a top-five finalist for the Bob Cousy Award for the nation’s top point guard on Monday. The five finalists for the Wooden Award, as well as the All-American teams, will be revealed during the men’s Final Four on April 4.

Acuff Jr. is also expected to be a top selection in the 2026 NBA draft come June, as the freshman is currently projected to be selected in the 7 to 10 pick range according to recent mock drafts. Even if Acuff Jr. is unable to snag honors for the Arkansas, this year will go down as one of the best seasons in both SEC and Razorbacks program history.

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