As befitting its status as the regular-season American Conference champions, the USF men's basketball team was at the head of the line for the conference's top honors.
Forward Izaiyah Nelson was named the conference Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year. Nelson was also the only unanimous selection for First Team All Conference. He was joined there by guard Wes Enis, giving the Bulls two first team selections for the first time in program history.
Enis was also a unanimous All-Newcomer, and guard Joseph Pinion was Third Team All-Conference and an All-Newcomer Team selection.
Bryan Hodgson was the coach of the year.
In his first season at USF, Hodgson guided the Bulls to a 23-8 overall record and 15-3 in conference play.. They are the top seed in the upcoming conference tournament, where USF is vying to make their first trip to March Madness since 2012.
They are a program-best No. 49 in the NET rankings and No. 52 in KenPom.
Nelson joined the Bulls from Arkansas State after Hodgson accepted the USF job. He quickly became a force in the paint, He had 303 rebounds for the season, including 19 games where he posted double figures in that category. He ranks 15th in the country in rebounding.
He also averaged 15.8 points per game. and was a 71 percent shooter from the foul line.
"My favorite thing about Zai (Nelson) is he knows who he is, and he has embraced what he's good at,'' Hodgson told GoUSFBulls.com. "We're in an era where guys are always looking to expand their game and do the next thing. The 5's want to be 4's. The 4's want to be 3's. The 3's want to be combo guards. Zai embraced who he is, and he has worked really, really hard over the last three years to get to the level he's at right now.
"Rebounding wins games, right? If you win the possession battle a lot of times, you're going to be in the mix at the end, right? Zai gets us extra possessions through offensive rebounding and putting pressure on the rim within our offense. That stuff translates. Rebounding translates. There may be days when your jump shot isn't falling, but one thing that you can pack up and take on the road with you is your ability to rebound and have a nose for the basketball. That's what Zai constantly offers.''
Hodgson, meanwhile, has earned national recognition for what the Bulls have accomplished this season. He took over a team with 13 new players and, along with his staff, molded the Bulls into a championship team. He frequently points out the work done by his staff.
This is a staff award, it’s not about me. I’m blessed to have the best coaching staff in the country. Committed, driven, and loyal. I’m incredibly thankful for their continued belief in our vision and for the sacrifices they and their families make every day to make all of this… https://t.co/daJizGMpX0
— Bryan Hodgson (@CoachBHodgson) March 10, 2026
Hodgson is completing the first year of a six-year, $8.25 million contract he signed with USF last spring. It also contains a $2 million buyout if he leaves for another job before April 15, 2027. He is already being mentionex for other jobs at power conference schools, but his focus now is on getting the Bulls to the NCAA tournament.
The men weren't the only USF team to earn conference accolades.
Four players from the women's team earned American Conference recogniitiion.
Senior Carla Brito was named second team All-Conference for the second straight season. During one stretch, Brito had six straight double-doubles (the second-longest streak by a USF player since the 1999-2000 season. She also had at least 10 points, 12 rebounds, and a steal in six straight games, the longest streak in conference history and the longest by any Division I player this season
Edyn Battle and Stefanie Ingram were named third team All Conference. Battle also joned Katie Davidson on the All Newcomer team.