FINALISTS FOR 2025-26 RILEY WALLACE AWARD
The most impactful transfers in division I college basketball
BOSTON, MA -- CollegeInsider.com has announced the finalists for the 2025-26 Riley Wallace award. The award is presented annually to the most impactful transfer in division I college basketball.
The award is named in honor of the longtime Hawaii coach. During his coaching career at Hawaii, Riley Wallace welcomed many transfers into the program and became the winningest coach in program history. Wallace guided Hawaii to nine postseason appearances, including a school-record streak of four straight from 2001-04.
The Warriors appeared in the NCAA Tournament three times under Wallace and have been invited to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) on six occasions. Prior to his arrival, the program had just one NCAA appearance and two trips to the NIT.
The recipient of the annual award 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 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.
RILEY WALLACE AWARD FINALISTS
|
Miles Barnstable |
6-2 |
Sr. |
Tulsa |
|
Ryan Conwell |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Louisville |
|
Melvin Council, Jr. |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Kansas |
|
Jlynn Counter |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Charleston |
|
Josiah Davis |
6-3 |
Sr. |
CSUN |
|
Silas Demary, Jr. |
6-4 |
Jr. |
UConn |
|
Tre Donaldson |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Miami |
|
Themus Fulks |
6-2 |
Sr. |
UCF |
|
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn |
6-1 |
Jr. |
UNLV |
|
Ja'Kobi Gillespie |
6-1 |
Sr. |
Tennessee |
|
DeSean Goode |
6-8 |
So. |
Robert Morris |
|
Trey Green |
6-0 |
So. |
Saint Louis |
|
Chaze Harris |
6-6 |
Sr. |
Alabama |
|
Dante Harris |
6-0 |
Sr. |
Tennessee State |
|
Dontae Horne |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Prairie View |
|
Camren Hunter |
6-3 |
Sr. |
Central Arkansas |
|
Isaac Johnson |
7-0 |
Sr. |
Hawaii |
|
Yaxel Lendeborg |
6-9 |
Sr. |
Michigan |
|
Rob Martin |
5-10 |
Sr. |
High Point |
|
Hamad Mousa |
6-8 |
So. |
Cal Poly |
|
Collin Parker |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Austin Peay |
|
Ethan Potter |
6-8 |
Sr. |
Utah Tech |
|
TJ Power |
6-9 |
Jr. |
Penn |
|
Brody Robinson |
5-11 |
Sr. |
Oakland |
|
Pryce Sandfort |
6-7 |
Jr. |
Nebraska |
|
Ernest Shelton |
6-5 |
Jr. |
Merrimack |
|
Bennett Stirtz |
6-4 |
Sr. |
Iowa |
|
Cedric Taylor III |
6-7 |
Jr. |
Howard |
|
Henri Veesaar |
7-0 |
Jr. |
North Carolina |
|
Patrick Wesler |
7-1 |
Jr. |
UNCW |
PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
JT Toppin, Texas Tech (2025), Dalton Knecht, Tennessee (2024); Blake Hinson, Pittsburgh (2023); Brady Manek, North Carolina (2022); Fardaws Aimaq, Utah Valley (2021); Elijah Burns, Siena (2020); Rapolas Ivanauskas, Colgate (2019); Wes Clark, Buffalo (2018); Chima Moneke, UC Davis (2017); Grandy Glaze, Grand Canyon (2016); Mike Myers, UMES (2015).
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Established in 1996, CollegeInsider.com has been at the forefront of promoting college basketball online. In the July 27, 1998, issue of ESPN the Magazine, College Insider was ranked No. 24 on the magazine’s list of 99 Things to do Before you Die. College Insider created the Mid-Major Top 25®, the measuring stick for men’s and women’s programs outside of the proverbial power leagues, and has 18 national awards presented annually, including the Lute Olson Award, Lou Henson Award, and the John McLendon Award. The CollegeInsider.com All-Access series has been nominated for 5 Emmy Awards and won 2013 Emmy, for its’ feature on New York City Basketball (Iona, LIU-Brooklyn and Manhattan). CI also created This Game No Secret, which debuted during the 2016 CIT and now has become an annual event, which has included programs like Duke, Houston, Miami, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Texas and Virginia.
2025: JT Toppin, Texas Tech
2024: Dalton Knecht, Tennessee
2023: Blake Hinson, Pittsburgh
2022: Brady Manek, North Carolina
2021: Fardaws Aimaq, Utah Valley
2020: Elijah Burns, Siena
2019: Rapolas Ivanauskas, Colgate
2018: Wes Clark, Buffalo
2017: Chima Moneke, UC Davis
2016: Grandy Glaze, Grand Canyon
2015: Mike Myers, UMES
The Riley Wallace award is presented annually to the most impactful transfer player in division I college basketball, as voted on by the award committee.
Eligible players include transfers from other division I programs, the JUCO ranks and all other levels of college basketball.
The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship.