BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its 2025-26 All-SWAC Men's Basketball teams and individual award winners on Friday morning. The all-conference honors were voted on by the league’s coaches and sports information directors.

In order to be eligible for awards student-athletes must have participated in a minimum of 50 percent of their team’s games played this season.

Jackson State’s Daeshun Ruffin was named Player of the Year while Alabama State’s Jerquarius Stanback claimed Defensive Player of the Year accolades.
 
Mississippi Valley State’s Michael James was tabbed Newcomer of the Year, Grambling State’s Antonio Munoz was selected as Freshman of the Year and Bethune-Cookman’s Reggie Theus was voted Coach of the Year.

Ruffin is one of only three players to average 20-plus points and five-plus assists in the country during the regular season, ending tied for third in scoring at 23.3 points per game and averaged 5.3 assists for Jackson State. He scored in double figures in 19 of 20 games to close the season. Ruffin also scored in double figures 25 times, with eight games scoring 30-plus points including four conference games.
 
Stanback has been a key contributor for Alabama State on both ends of the floor this season. He currently averages 8.5 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per game. He leads the SWAC and ranks 30^th in the NCAA with 2.0 blocks per game, while his 61 blocks leads the league in that category.
 
James has produced an impressive debut season for Mississippi Valley State with his scoring and contributions defensively. He currently averages 21.4 points per game which ranks second in the league in that category.
 
Munoz has been stellar during his debut season for the Grambling State Tigers with his exciting play and consistency. He leads his team in points per game (12.6 ppg) and has also tallied 3.5 rebounds per game while amassing 12 blocks and 19 steals during the season.
 
Theus led Bethune-Cookman to a regular season title with a 14-4 record in league play while also claiming the No.1 seed at the upcoming 2026 SWAC Men’s Basketball Tournament. The regular season title for the Wildcats was their first since joining the league and second ever title since joining NCAA Division I.
  
The complete listing of all-conference selections and individual awards winners can be found below.
 
Coach of the Year
Reggie Theus, Bethune-Cookman
 
Player of the Year
Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State

Defensive Player of the Year
Jerquarius Stanback, Alabama State

Newcomer of the Year
Michael James, Mississippi Valley State

Freshman of the Year
Antonio Munoz, Grambling State
 
All-SWAC First Team
Daeshun Ruffin, Jackson State
Dontae Horne, Prairie View A&M
Jakobi Heady, Bethune-Cookman
Quion Williams, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Michael James, Mississippi Valley State
 
All-SWAC Second Team
Kintavious Dozier, Alabama A&M
Michael Jacobs, Southern
Troy Hupstead, Texas Southern
Daniel Rouzan, Bethune-Cookman
Tai'Reon Joseph, Prairie View A&M
 
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
 
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field and Tennis.
 
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Volleyball.

Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at www.swac.org.