Hempstead, NY - Hofstra junior Cruz Davis has been named to the 2025-26 Lou Henson Award 'Early Season Watch List", it was announced this week by CollegeInsider.com. 

CollegeInsider.com has announced the 'Early Season Watch List' for the 2025-26 Lou Henson award, which is presented annually to the top player in mid-major college basketball.

Davis is averaging 20.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game for Hofstra (8-4), which won three straight and six out of seven contests. Two of those wins have come over teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference with Davis starring in both games. He totaled a career-high 36 points and seven assists in an 80-73 win over Pitt on December 7 and then had 22 points and a career-high nine assists in a 70-69 win over Syracuse on December 13. 

Davis has already been named the CAA Player of the Week on a pair of occasions this season, in addition to twice being the MBWA Player of the Week. He was also a USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week honoree on December 9. 

The Lou Henson award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.

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.