Jacks Earn Four SLC Superlative Honors, Three Named All-Southland
3/6/2026 2:52:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Thompson (Player OTY), Patrick (Newcomer OTY) named first teamers, Colonel (Defensive POTY) headlines all-defensive selections and Braeuer tabbed as league’s top coach
FRISCO, Texas – Following a regular season Southland Conference championship, a trio of Stephen F. Austin standouts and the architect of the Jacks' impressive run to Lake Charles earned superlative recognition from the league on Friday morning. Senior point guard Keon Thompson was named the league's Player of the Year, senior center Jerald Colonel earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and first-year Jack Lateef Patrick received Newcomer of the Year plaudits, while first-year head coach Matt Braeuer was named the SLC Coach of the Year.
Thompson, a Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year Midseason Watch List honoree, a Lou Henson Award National Mid-Major Player of the Week (Nov. 10) and a five-time SLC Player of the Week, was the lone player in the SLC to rank in the top five overall and in SLC play in points, points per game, assists and assists per game.
The Merrillville, Indiana native led the SLC in overall points (560), SLC points (390), SLC scoring average (17.7) and ranked second in overall scoring average (18.1) at regular season's end. His 18.1 ppg is a top 50 scoring total nationally. He scored in double figures in 30 of 31 games, delivered 11 20+ point games, and dropped a career-high 32 points at UTRGV (2/14). Additionally, Thompson reached personal scoring milestone registering his 1,000-career point against Southeastern Louisiana (Jan. 3). He currently holds the fifth-highest single-season scoring average in program history (18.1 ppg) and is second on SFA's single-season scoring list.
Thompson led the SLC in FGM (201), which is inside the DI top 35, and ranked fourth in FG% (49.0%); one of four players in SLC play to shoot 48% or better from the floor.
Thompson is SLC leader in FTA (193) and ranks second in FTM (134). He ranks fourth in the SLC in assists (137) and assists per game (4.4) and is sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.69). This season, Thompson produced 16 games with 5+ assists including five with 7+ and a nine-assist effort against Nicholls (2/21).
An All-SLC defensive team selection in 2024-25 and league's leading shot blocker, Colonel's encore was even better. In the regular season, the Savannah, Georgia native led the SLC in total blocks (76) and blocks average (2.45); both of which rank inside the top ten nationally. His swatted shots total is currently second on the program's all-time single season blocked shots list.
Colonel recorded a block in 28 of 31 regular season games played, delivered multiple blocks in 22 games with three games of 5+ blocks and posted six-block games against Arkansas State (11/7) and UTRGV (12/3). In SLC play, Colonel tied for the league lead in blocks average (2.0), while his 44 blocks over 22 SLC games ranked second. In terms of his NCAA career, Colonel ranks 30th among DI career active leaders in total blocks (143) and is third in blocks average (2.34) and 12th among all three levels of NCAA play.
On the glass, Colonel ranks second in the SLC in total rebounding (232). He was one of five players to average 7.0+ rebounds and one of five players to grab 160+ rebounds in SLC play. Colonel produced 18 games with 8+ total rebounds including six double-figure rebounding efforts. He ranks fourth in the SLC in rebounding average (7.5) and seventh in defensive rebounding (4.39).
In the regular season, Colonel was one of 12 players in SLC play to average 4.2+ defensive rebounds in addition to grabbing 90+ total rebounds. Defensively, Colonel totaled 4+ defensive rebounds in a game 23 times, while his effort on the offensive glass resulted in him leading the league in offensive average (3.10) and offensive boards in SLC play (69). Additionally, Colonel scored 154 points with 42 assists and added 28 steals with eight multi-steal games.
In his first season in Nacogdoches, Patrick has made an immediate impact for the Jacks. In 31 starts, Patrick has posted a top 10 scoring average (15.5 ppg) overall and in league play (15.5), while his 482 regular season points are the eighth-most in the SLC. He has scored in double figures 26 times this season with eight 20+ point performances.
That effort came behind a 40.4% effort from the floor which ranks tenth in the league. Patrick's 163 field goals made and 403 attempts from the floor are both among the league's top ten shooters. His 80.7% effort from the stripe is the fourth highest in the league.
A threat once he crosses the timeline, Patrick has shot 35.2% from deep this season. His totals in three-point makes (68), three-pointers per game (2.19) and attempts (193) all rank inside the SLC's top 10 this season. He opened the regular season with six three-point makes against Millsaps and closed with six three-point makes against UIW and in-between knocked down multiple three-point shots in 19 other games.
Defensively, Patrick holds top ten marks in steals (43) and steals per game (1.39).
In his first season in Nacogdoches, Braeuer has led SFA to the outright Southland Conference regular season title behind a conference and program record 20 league wins. It is the first regular season SLC title for the Jacks since the 2019-20 season. The Jacks have been ranked No. 10 nationally for the past three weeks in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 rankings in addition to receiving a pair of votes in the AP Top 25 Poll on February 23.
The Jacks' 27 wins are tied for the eighth-most victories in a single season in program history. As of March 4, SFA is one of only ten DI teams to reach that win total this season. Fifteen of the Jacks' wins were produced inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum which witnessed a 15-0 start to the home slate, while SFA's dozen road wins are the most in a single season since '19-20.
At regular season's end, the Jacks led the SLC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52; top 50 DI), rebound margin (+5.3; top 45 DI), rebounds per game (38.10; top 55 DI), scoring defense (65.9 ppg; 18th DI), 3pt% defense (29.1%; 9th DI), turnovers per game (9.2; 12th DI) and ranked second in effective FG% (52.5%), fouls per game (16.1), defensive rebounds/game (25.19), offensive rebounds/game (12.9; 35th DI), scoring margin (11.6; 28th DI), scoring offense (77.5) and 3pt makes/game (9.1).
Additionally, Braeuer is one of 16 finalists for the Joe B. Hall Award, given annually to the nation's top first-time Division I basketball head coach, and he is one of 25 finalists for the Hugh Durham Award, given annually to the nation's top DI mid-major head coach. He is one of only five coaches named a finalist for both honors.
2025-26 Southland Conference Superlatives & All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Keon Thompson, SFA
Defensive Player of the Year: Jerald Colonel, SFA
Coach of the Year: Matt Braeuer, SFA
Freshman of the Year: Larry Johnson, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Lateef Patrick, SFA
First Team All-Conference
Keon Thompson, SFA
Larry Johnson, McNeese
Lateef Patrick, SFA
Koree Cotton, UTRGV
Tyshawn Archie, McNeese
Second Team All-Conference
Coleton Benson, New Orleans
Micah Thomas, Northwestern State
Filip Brankovic, UTRGV
Jakevion Buckley, New Orleans
Davion Bailey, UIW
All-Defensive Team
Jerald Colonel, SFA
Garwey Dual, McNeese
Churchill Abass, New Orleans
Koree Cotton, UTRGV
Leo Torbor, A&M-Corpus Christi
UP NEXT
The Jacks open postseason play on Tuesday, March 10 as the top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament from Lake Charles' Townsley Law Arena. SFA receives a double bye into the tournament semifinals and will match up against the winner of the tournament's No. 4 seed and the Game 1 winner (No. 5 vs. No. 8). More information on the 2026 SLC Tournament as well as live coverage links to follow SFA's postseason march are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA men's basketball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
THE STANDARD??
— SFA Men's Basketball (@SFA_MBB) March 6, 2026
Congratulations to Keon Thompson on earning the Southland Conference Player of the Year Award!#AxeEm x #WinTogether pic.twitter.com/oDtDQ2eSRn
Thompson, a Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year Midseason Watch List honoree, a Lou Henson Award National Mid-Major Player of the Week (Nov. 10) and a five-time SLC Player of the Week, was the lone player in the SLC to rank in the top five overall and in SLC play in points, points per game, assists and assists per game.
The Merrillville, Indiana native led the SLC in overall points (560), SLC points (390), SLC scoring average (17.7) and ranked second in overall scoring average (18.1) at regular season's end. His 18.1 ppg is a top 50 scoring total nationally. He scored in double figures in 30 of 31 games, delivered 11 20+ point games, and dropped a career-high 32 points at UTRGV (2/14). Additionally, Thompson reached personal scoring milestone registering his 1,000-career point against Southeastern Louisiana (Jan. 3). He currently holds the fifth-highest single-season scoring average in program history (18.1 ppg) and is second on SFA's single-season scoring list.
Thompson led the SLC in FGM (201), which is inside the DI top 35, and ranked fourth in FG% (49.0%); one of four players in SLC play to shoot 48% or better from the floor.
Thompson is SLC leader in FTA (193) and ranks second in FTM (134). He ranks fourth in the SLC in assists (137) and assists per game (4.4) and is sixth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.69). This season, Thompson produced 16 games with 5+ assists including five with 7+ and a nine-assist effort against Nicholls (2/21).
DOMINANT IN EVERY PLAY??
— SFA Men's Basketball (@SFA_MBB) March 6, 2026
Congratulations to Jerald Colonel on earning the Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year Award!#AxeEm x #WinTogether pic.twitter.com/1kUQ5EKzvo
An All-SLC defensive team selection in 2024-25 and league's leading shot blocker, Colonel's encore was even better. In the regular season, the Savannah, Georgia native led the SLC in total blocks (76) and blocks average (2.45); both of which rank inside the top ten nationally. His swatted shots total is currently second on the program's all-time single season blocked shots list.
Colonel recorded a block in 28 of 31 regular season games played, delivered multiple blocks in 22 games with three games of 5+ blocks and posted six-block games against Arkansas State (11/7) and UTRGV (12/3). In SLC play, Colonel tied for the league lead in blocks average (2.0), while his 44 blocks over 22 SLC games ranked second. In terms of his NCAA career, Colonel ranks 30th among DI career active leaders in total blocks (143) and is third in blocks average (2.34) and 12th among all three levels of NCAA play.
On the glass, Colonel ranks second in the SLC in total rebounding (232). He was one of five players to average 7.0+ rebounds and one of five players to grab 160+ rebounds in SLC play. Colonel produced 18 games with 8+ total rebounds including six double-figure rebounding efforts. He ranks fourth in the SLC in rebounding average (7.5) and seventh in defensive rebounding (4.39).
In the regular season, Colonel was one of 12 players in SLC play to average 4.2+ defensive rebounds in addition to grabbing 90+ total rebounds. Defensively, Colonel totaled 4+ defensive rebounds in a game 23 times, while his effort on the offensive glass resulted in him leading the league in offensive average (3.10) and offensive boards in SLC play (69). Additionally, Colonel scored 154 points with 42 assists and added 28 steals with eight multi-steal games.
GAME CHANGER??
— SFA Men's Basketball (@SFA_MBB) March 6, 2026
Congratulations to Lateef Patrick Jr. on earning the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Award!#AxeEm x #WinTogether pic.twitter.com/5I7XwU6RdI
In his first season in Nacogdoches, Patrick has made an immediate impact for the Jacks. In 31 starts, Patrick has posted a top 10 scoring average (15.5 ppg) overall and in league play (15.5), while his 482 regular season points are the eighth-most in the SLC. He has scored in double figures 26 times this season with eight 20+ point performances.
That effort came behind a 40.4% effort from the floor which ranks tenth in the league. Patrick's 163 field goals made and 403 attempts from the floor are both among the league's top ten shooters. His 80.7% effort from the stripe is the fourth highest in the league.
A threat once he crosses the timeline, Patrick has shot 35.2% from deep this season. His totals in three-point makes (68), three-pointers per game (2.19) and attempts (193) all rank inside the SLC's top 10 this season. He opened the regular season with six three-point makes against Millsaps and closed with six three-point makes against UIW and in-between knocked down multiple three-point shots in 19 other games.
Defensively, Patrick holds top ten marks in steals (43) and steals per game (1.39).
WELL DESERVED??
— SFA Men's Basketball (@SFA_MBB) March 6, 2026
Congratulations to Head Coach Matt Braeuer on earning the Southland Conference Coach of the Year Award!#AxeEm x #WinTogether pic.twitter.com/LfqmXPesrl
In his first season in Nacogdoches, Braeuer has led SFA to the outright Southland Conference regular season title behind a conference and program record 20 league wins. It is the first regular season SLC title for the Jacks since the 2019-20 season. The Jacks have been ranked No. 10 nationally for the past three weeks in the collegeinsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 rankings in addition to receiving a pair of votes in the AP Top 25 Poll on February 23.
The Jacks' 27 wins are tied for the eighth-most victories in a single season in program history. As of March 4, SFA is one of only ten DI teams to reach that win total this season. Fifteen of the Jacks' wins were produced inside the William R. Johnson Coliseum which witnessed a 15-0 start to the home slate, while SFA's dozen road wins are the most in a single season since '19-20.
At regular season's end, the Jacks led the SLC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.52; top 50 DI), rebound margin (+5.3; top 45 DI), rebounds per game (38.10; top 55 DI), scoring defense (65.9 ppg; 18th DI), 3pt% defense (29.1%; 9th DI), turnovers per game (9.2; 12th DI) and ranked second in effective FG% (52.5%), fouls per game (16.1), defensive rebounds/game (25.19), offensive rebounds/game (12.9; 35th DI), scoring margin (11.6; 28th DI), scoring offense (77.5) and 3pt makes/game (9.1).
Additionally, Braeuer is one of 16 finalists for the Joe B. Hall Award, given annually to the nation's top first-time Division I basketball head coach, and he is one of 25 finalists for the Hugh Durham Award, given annually to the nation's top DI mid-major head coach. He is one of only five coaches named a finalist for both honors.
2025-26 Southland Conference Superlatives & All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year: Keon Thompson, SFA
Defensive Player of the Year: Jerald Colonel, SFA
Coach of the Year: Matt Braeuer, SFA
Freshman of the Year: Larry Johnson, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Lateef Patrick, SFA
First Team All-Conference
Keon Thompson, SFA
Larry Johnson, McNeese
Lateef Patrick, SFA
Koree Cotton, UTRGV
Tyshawn Archie, McNeese
Second Team All-Conference
Coleton Benson, New Orleans
Micah Thomas, Northwestern State
Filip Brankovic, UTRGV
Jakevion Buckley, New Orleans
Davion Bailey, UIW
All-Defensive Team
Jerald Colonel, SFA
Garwey Dual, McNeese
Churchill Abass, New Orleans
Koree Cotton, UTRGV
Leo Torbor, A&M-Corpus Christi
UP NEXT
The Jacks open postseason play on Tuesday, March 10 as the top seed in the Southland Conference Tournament from Lake Charles' Townsley Law Arena. SFA receives a double bye into the tournament semifinals and will match up against the winner of the tournament's No. 4 seed and the Game 1 winner (No. 5 vs. No. 8). More information on the 2026 SLC Tournament as well as live coverage links to follow SFA's postseason march are available at www.SFAjacks.com.
THE 'JACKS HAVE GONE MOBILE
SFA Athletics' newest mobile phone application is designed to bring Lumberjack fans closer to the action than ever before. Available now on both the App Store and Google Play, the new SFA Athletics app delivers schedules, scores, rosters, news, ticket access, and exclusive content right to your phone. Fans can also receive push notifications, so they never miss a moment of the action. Download now: Official SFA Athletics App.
FOLLOW THE LUMBERJACKS
For all the latest information on SFA men's basketball, visit SFAjacks.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Lumberjacks on X, Instagram and Facebook.
#AxeEm x #WinTogether
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