UVU's Aimaq Named to Lou Henson Award Watch List
Courtesy UVU Media Relations
OREM—Utah Valley redshirt sophomore center Fardaws Aimaq has been named to the 2020-21 Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award mid-season watch list.
The Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award, which is presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball, honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Aimaq, who has helped Utah Valley to a perfect 3-0 start in WAC play, continues to lead the nation in rebounds, pulling down 14.9 boards a game. He also leads the nation in defensive rebounds per game (10.09) and ranks second in offensive boards per game (4.82). The Vancouver, B.C. native also ranks fourth nationally with nine double-doubles. Aimaq is averaging 16.8 points per game on a 52.7 percent clip from the field. He also averages 1.7 blocks and 1.4 assists per game.
The award is named after Lou Henson who is the winningest coach in Illinois basketball history with 423 victories. During his 21 seasons (1975-1996), Henson led the Fighting Illini to 16 postseason appearances, including 12 NCAA tournaments and a Final Four appearance in 1989.
Henson, who is the all-time winningest coach in New Mexico State history with 289 victories, is one of only 11 coaches to take two different schools to the NCAA Final Four. His teams made 19 NCAA appearances and four NIT appearances.
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, Western Athletic and West Coast.
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the nation's top mid-major player in Division I. The recipient of the 2020-21 award will be announced in April. Aimaq and the rest of the Wolverines continue league play at home on Friday and Saturday against WAC newcomer Tarleton State. Tip-off for both games is scheduled for 6 p.m.
LOU HENSON AWARD MID-SEASON WATCH LIST
Fardaws Aimaq 6-11 So. Utah Valley
Ahmed Ali 5-11 Sr. Portland
Ahsan Asadullah 6-8 Jr. Lipscomb
Mike Bothwell 6-8 Jr. Furman
Hayden Brown 6-5 Jr. The Citadel
Ledarrius Brewer 6-5 Jr. ETSU
Jamaree Bouyea 6-2 Sr. San Francisco
Elijah Childs 6-7 Sr. Bradley
Loren Christian Jackson 5-8 Sr. Akron
Cam Davis 6-0 Sr. Navy
Michael Green III 5-11 So. Bryant
Tanner Groves 6-9 Jr. Eastern Washington
Marreon Jackson 6-1 Sr. Toledo
DeVante Jones 6-1 Jr. Coastal Carolina
Tre King 6-9 Jr. Eastern Kentucky
Cameron Krutwig 6-9 Sr. Loyola Chicago
Matt Lewis 6-5 Sr. James Madison
Loudon Love 6-9 Sr. Wright State
Isaiah Miller 6-0 Sr. UNCG
Ruot Monyyong 6-10 Sr. Little Rock
Jalen Moore 5-11 Jr. Oakland
Isiaih Mosley 6-5 So. Missouri State
Grayson Murphy 6-2 Jr. Belmont
Storm Murphy 6-0 Sr. Wofford
Nick Muszynski 6-11 Jr. Belmont
Obadiah Noel 6-4 Sr. UMass Lowell
Zach Nutall 6-3 Jr. Sam Houston
Kevin Obanor 6-8 Jr. Oral Roberts
Roman Penn 5-11 Jr. Drake
Justin Roberts 6-9 Jr. Georgia State
Cedric Russell 6-2 Sr. Louisiana
Eli Scott 6-6 Sr. Loyola Marymount
Amandou Sow 6-9 Jr. UCSB
Anthony Tarke 6-6 Sr. Coppin State
Terry Taylor 6-5 Sr. Austin Peay
Justin Turner 6-4 Sr. Bowling Green
Chandler Vaudrin 6-7 Sr. Winthrop
Davion Warren 6-6 Sr. Hampton
Collin Welp 6-2 Jr. UC Irvine
Camren Wynter 6-2 Jr. Drexel