Atlantic 10 Basketball: Top postseason awards for 2021-22 campaign
By Tyler Cronin
Player of the Year: Josh Oduro, George Mason – 10 votes
Others receiving votes:
Luka Brajkovic, Davidson – 7
Hyunjung Lee, Davidson – 6
Vince Williams Jr, VCU – 3
Foster Loyer, Davidson – 3
Yuri Collins, SLU – 1
*30 votes
In conference play, Oduro led the A-10 in scoring (19.0 ppg) and finished 2nd in rebounding (8.3 rpg). While POY typically goes to a player on a Top 2 team, regular-season champion Davidson’s three star players all split the vote from each other.
Rookie of the Year: DaRon Holmes II, Dayton – 26 votes
1 vote each: Malachi Smith, Dayton; Erik Reynolds II, St. Joe’s; Brayon Freeman, GW
The highest-rated recruit in the A-10 this season, Holmes‘ game grew significantly on both ends of the floor in the second half of the year. His 2.3 blocks per game put him on the All-Defense Team, a rare spot for a rookie, and on the other end, he led the A-10 in fg % (63.6%).
Defensive Player of the Year: Osun Osunniyi, St. Bonaventure – 12 votes
Jacob Gilyard, Richmond – 7
Vince Williams Jr, VCU – 6
Ace Baldwin, VCU – 2
DaRon Holmes II, Dayton – 1
Clifton Moore, La Salle – 1
The conference’s last two DOPY winners (Osunniyi in 2021; Gilyard in 2020) battled it out for one last time. In the end, blocks (2.9 per game for Osunniyi, 1st in A-10) beat out steals (3.0 for Gilyard, 2nd in the nation).