Lendeborg, Vasquez Named All-AAC
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - March 11, 2025
UAB’s Yaxel Lendeborg earned American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Lendeborg was also UAB’s lone representative on the All-AAC first team while teammate Alejandro Vasquez was a second team selection.
Lendeborg is UAB’s leader in scoring (17.1 ppg), rebounds (10.5 rpg), assists (4.1 apg), blocks (1.8 bpg) and steals (1.6 spg). He broke his own school record for double-doubles with 20 and scored 20 points or more in 13 games. The former junior college standout, who was also a first-team selection last season, became the first UAB player to surpass 300 rebounds in two seasons and the fifth Blazer to score at least 1,000 points in two seasons. He is one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year award.
Vasquez is second on the team in scoring with 11.4 points per game. Vasquez has a team-best eight games of scoring more than 25 points over the past two seasons. He tied a career best with 29 points against Wichita State and had 26 points in a win over Charlotte.
Lendeborg and Vasquez are seniors but have the option of playing another season in college. They will lead UAB into a AAC Tournament quarterfinal game against either East Carolina or UTSA on Friday. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.
Player of the Year
PJ Haggerty, R-So., Memphis
Coach of the Year
Penny Hardaway, Memphis
Amir Abdur-Rahim, South Florida - Honorary
Newcomer of the Year
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., Memphis
Defensive Player of the Year
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., UAB
Freshman of the Year
Matas Vokietaitis, FAU
Amir Abdur-Rahim Sportsmanship Award
Tre Carroll, R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
Most Improved Players
Tre Carroll, R-Jr., Florida Atlantic
Moulaye Sissoko, Sr., North Texas
Sixth Man of the Year
Brenen Lorient, Jr., F, North Texas
All-Conference First Team
Yaxel Lendeborg, Sr., UAB*
RJ Felton, Sr., East Carolina*
C.J. Walker, Gr., East Carolina
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., Memphis*
PJ Haggerty, R-So., Memphis*
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., Memphis
Brenen Lorient, Jr., North Texas
Atin Wright, Sr., North Texas*
Rowan Brumbaugh, R-So., Tulane
Xavier Bell, Sr., Wichita State
All-Conference Second Team
Alejandro Vasquez, Sr., UAB
Tre Carroll, Florida Atlantic
Kaleb Glenn, So., FAU
Baba Miller, Jr., FAU
Jamille Reynolds, Sr., USF
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., Temple
Primo Spears, UTSA
Kaleb Banks, Jr., Tulane
Dwon Odom, Gr., Tulsa
Corey Washington, Jr., Wichita State
All-Newcomer Team
Dain Dainja, R-Sr., Memphis*
Tyrese Hunter, Sr., Memphis
Atin Wright, Sr., North Texas
Jamal Mashburn Jr., Gr., Temple
Rowan Brumbaugh, R-So., Tulane
All-Freshman Team
Matas Vokietaitis, FAU*
CJ Brown, USF*
Aiden Tobiason, Temple
Kam Williams, Tulane*
Ian Smikle, Tulsa
* denotes unanimous selection