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St. John's Forward Zuby Ejiofor Wins Big East Defensive Player of the Year
Villanova's Tyler Perkins named Most Improved Player, teammate Devin Askew wins Sixth Man Award
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's was selected as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in voting by the league's head coaches. Villanova's Tyler Perkins was chosen as the Most Improved Player, and teammate Devin Askew won the Sixth Man Award. Creighton senior Josh Dix received the Sportsmanship Award.
Why it matters
Ejiofor's selection as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year is a significant accomplishment, as he led the 13th-ranked Red Storm to their second consecutive outright regular-season championship. The awards highlight the top individual performances in the conference this season.
The details
The 6-foot-9, 245-pound Ejiofor was the only unanimous pick on the All-Big East first team and the inaugural Big East All-Defensive Team. He was one of two players in the country with at least 60 blocked shots and 30 steals during the regular season, and he ranks sixth in the Big East with 7.1 rebounds per game. Perkins led third-place Villanova in scoring at 15.2 points per game in conference play and averaged 6.2 rebounds, while Askew averaged 10.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 23 minutes in Big East action. Dix led Creighton in scoring at 12.7 points per game during his first season at the school after spending three years at Iowa.
- Ejiofor was selected as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.
- The top-seeded Johnnies begin defense of their 2025 Big East Tournament title on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.
The players
Zuby Ejiofor
A 6-foot-9, 245-pound senior forward for St. John's who was the only unanimous pick on the All-Big East first team and the inaugural Big East All-Defensive Team.
Tyler Perkins
A junior guard for Villanova who led the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game in conference play and averaged 6.2 rebounds.
Devin Askew
A 6-5 guard for Villanova who averaged 10.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 23 minutes in Big East action, coming off the bench in 19 league games before starting on Senior Day.
Josh Dix
A senior at Creighton who led the team in scoring at 12.7 points per game during his first season at the school after spending three years at Iowa.
What’s next
The top-seeded Johnnies begin defense of their 2025 Big East Tournament title on Thursday in the quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.
The takeaway
Ejiofor's selection as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year is a testament to his dominant defensive performance this season, leading St. John's to their second consecutive outright regular-season championship. The other individual award winners, such as Villanova's Tyler Perkins and Devin Askew, also had standout seasons that were recognized by the conference.
