Creighton's Khyri Thomas has been named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year. Thomas shares the award with Villanova's Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges as the first three-way tie for a major award in league history.
Thomas is the second player in Creighton history to be named Defensive Player of the Year, the first being Gregory Echenique in 2011-2012.
Thomas leads the Bluejays in steals and ranks second on the team in rebounding and blocked shots. He ranks seventh in the BIG EAST in rebounds with 182 and eighth in steals with 46. Thomas also ranks sixth in assist/turnover ratio, seventh in assists and ninth in field goal percentage in the league.
The BIG EAST will announce the Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Outstanding Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete awards at a press conference at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, March 8th.
Creighton (23-8, 10-8 BIG EAST) meets up with Providence Thursday in the BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinal at 8:30 p.m.
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year History
1981-82: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
1982-83: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
1983-84: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
1984-85: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
1985-86: Harold Pressley, Villanova
1986-87: Mark Jackson, St. John's
1987-88: Gary Massey, Villanova
1988-89: Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown
1989-90: Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown and Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown
1990-91: Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown
1991-92: Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown
1992-93: Jerry Walker, Seton Hall
1993-94: Donyell Marshall, Connecticut
1994-95: Allen Iverson, Georgetown
1995-96: Allen Iverson, Georgetown
1996-97: Jason Lawson, Villanova
1997-98: Damian Owens, West Virginia
1998-99: Etan Thomas, Syracuse
1999-00: Etan Thomas, Syracuse
2000-01: John Linehan, Providence
2001-02: John Linehan, Providence
2002-03: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut
2003-04: Emeka Okafor, Connecticut
2004-05: Josh Boone, Connecticut
2005-06: Hilton Armstrong, Connecticut
2006-07: Jerel McNeal, Marquette
2007-08: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
2008-09: Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
2009-10: Hamady Ndiaye, Rutgers
2010-11: Rick Jackson, Syracuse
2011-12: Fab Melo, Syracuse
2012-13: Gorgui Dieng, Louisville
2013-14: Fuquan Edwin, Seton Hall
2014-15: Kris Dunn, Providence and Sir'Dominic Pointer, St. John's
2015-16: Kris Dunn, Providence
2016-17: Khyri Thomas, Creighton and Josh Hart, Villanova and Mikal Bridges, Villanova
