LAKE CHARLES – On the eve of leading McNeese into the NCAA Tournament First Round game against Gonzaga, Cowboys' guard
Shahada Wells has been named a finalist for both the Lute Olson and Lou Henson National Player of the Year awards.
The Lute Olson Award is presented annually to the top player in division I college basketball and is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona.
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball and honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Wells, the Southland Conference Player and Newcomer of the Year and NABC District 22 Player of the Year, earned SLC All-Tournament MVP honors after he guided McNeese to the league tournament championship and NCAA Tournament for the first time in 22 years and also the league's regular season title for the first time in 13 seasons.
The Amarillo, Texas native is averaging 17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.0 steals per game heading into Thursday's first round game against Gonzaga. Wells is the only player in the nation to average at least 17 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 3.0 steals per game for the season.
A three-time National Player of the Week recipient this season, Wells has led McNeese to its best season in school history as a Division I school by posting a 30-3 record.
He's ranked No. 2 in the nation in steals per game and is third with 95 total steals, the second-most in school history in a season. He's scored 10 or more points 28 times in 32 games played, 12 games with 20 or more and three times topping 30 points.
Wells is one of just five players from mid-major schools to be listed as a Lute Olson Award finalist on the 30-player list.
The recipient of the annual awards 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 2024 awards will be announced in Phoenix, Arizona, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
2024 Lute Olson National Player of the Year Award Finalists
Boo Buie, Northwestern
Johni Broome, Auburn
Devin Carter, Providence
L.J. Cryer, Houston
RJ Davis, North Carolina
Tucker DeVries, Drake
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Zach Edey, Purdue
Terrence Edwards Jr., James Madison
Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon
DaRon Holmes II, Dayton
Meechie Johnson, South Carolina
Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State
Tamin Lipsey, Iowa State
Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
Tyler Kolek, Marquette
Caleb Love, Arizona
Kevin McCullar, Kansas
Tristen Newton, UConn
Great Osobor, Utah State
Mark Sears, Alabama
Baylor Scheierman, Creighton
Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois
Reed Sheppard, Kentucky
Jamal Shead, Houston
Braden Smith, Purdue
Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State
Shahada Wells, McNeese
Vonterius Woolbroght, Western Carolina
Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award Finalists
Achor Achor, Samford
Robbie Avila, Indiana State
Jalen Blackmon, Stetson
Isaiah Cozart, Eastern Kentucky
Isaiah Crawford, Louisiana Tech
Tucker DeVries, Drake
Terrence Edwards Jr., James Madison
Enrique Freeman, Akron
Kezza Giffa, High Point
Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon
Donovan Gregory, Appalachian State
Xavier Johnson, Southern Illinois
Dillon Jones, Weber State
Xaivian Lee, Princeton
Malik Mack, Harvard
Aidan Mahaney, Saint Mary's
Zeke Mayo, South Dakota State
Riley Minix, Morehead State
Jonathan Mogbo, San Francisco
Drew Pember, UNC Asheville
Elijah Pepper, UC Davis
Caden Pierce, Princeton
Bryce Pope, UC San Diego
Noah Reynolds, Green Bay
Jordan Sears, UT Martin
Braeden Smith, Colgate
Reyne Smith, Charleston
Isaiah Swope, Indiana State
Jamarii Thomas, Norfolk State
Tyler Thomas, Hofstra
Trey Townsend, Oakland
Shahada Wells, McNeese
Danny Wolf, Yale
Lamar Wilkerson, Sam Houston
Vonterius Woolbright, Western Carolina
