Trio of freshmen headline AP All-America team

Field Level Media|published: Tue 17th March, 13:42 2026

Mar 12, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) reacts in the first half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Three freshmen -- Duke's Cameron Boozer, AJ Dybantsa of BYU and Darius Acuff Jr. of Arkansas -- were named Tuesday as first-team Associated Press All-Americans.

Joining them on the first team were senior Yaxel Lendeborg of Michigan and junior JT Toppin of Texas Tech.

Boozer was selected on all 61 ballots, following another Duke freshman -- Cooper Flagg -- who was a unanimous choice last season. Dybantsa was named on 57 first-team ballots and Acuff on 47.

With Boozer, the Blue Devils won both the Atlantic Coast Conference regular season and tournament titles, and they are the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. He is averaging 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game.

Dybantsa leads the nation in scoring with 25.3 points per game, adding 6.7 rebounds. He follows Danny Ainge and Jimmer Fredette as the only first-team selections for BYU, a sixth seed in the tournament.

It was 1978-79 that the Razorbacks had their most recent first-team All-American, Sidney Moncrief. Acuff scored 22.9 points and handed out 6.5 assists per game for Arkansas, a No. 4 tournament seed.

Michigan, behind Lendeborg, also is a No. 1 seed. He is the first Wolverines player to be named to the first team since Trey Burke in 2012-13 and is averaging 14.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

Toppin was selected as a second-team All-American last season, when the Red Raiders reached the Elite Eight. The only first-team pick in program history, he is sidelined with a torn right ACL and won't play for fifth-seeded Texas Tech in the tournament. He averaged 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds in 25 games.

Second team

Braden Smith, Purdue

Jeremy Fears Jr., Michigan State

Keaton Wagler, Illinois

Joshua Jefferson, Iowa State

Caleb Wilson, North Carolina

Third team

Graham Ike, Gonzaga

Kingston Flemings, Houston

Christian Anderson, Texas Tech

Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama

Thomas Haugh, Florida.