Creighton's Kalkbrenner Named to John R. Wooden Award® All-America Team

Apr 1, 2025 / Creighton Athletics

Photo Credit: Creighton Athletics

OMAHA, Neb.– Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner added to his awards haul on Tuesday as he was named to the John R. Wooden Award® All-America Team. The honors were revealed by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on the Wooden Award presented by Principal Finalists Show featuring the Wooden Award All-America Team and five finalists earlier today on ESPN.

Ballots were distributed to a panel of voters composed of sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country. Deloitte collected and tabulated these votes, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the final results. The Top five student-athletes selected are recognized as finalists for the Wooden Award Trophy, which honors the Most Outstanding College Basketball Player in the United States.

A 7-foot-1 center from Florissant, Mo., Kalkbrenner leads the BIG EAST in blocked shots per game (2.7), rebounds per game (8.7) and field goal percentage (.653) while ranking third with 19.2 points per contest. The two-time All-BIG EAST First Team honoree ranks second nationally in field goals made, third in blocked shots, fourth in field goal percentage, and 19th in points. He ranks second in Creighton history in blocked shots (399), points (2,443), rebounds (1,146) and field goal percentage (.658). Kalkbrenner is one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the nation's best center and one of 10 finalists for the Naismith Trophy. A unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick, Kalkbrenner also joined Patrick Ewing as the second four-time winner of the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year award.

Creighton's lone Wooden Award winner in program history was Doug McDermott in 2013-14. McDermott was also Creighton's most recent Wooden Award All-American before Kalkbrenner today.

The recognition came hours after Kalkbrenner was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday.

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