University of St. Thomas Athletics
Minessale named to Lou Henson Award Early Season Watch List
12/18/2025 2:21:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sophomore guard leads NCAA DI in total points behind nation-best 11 20-point games
BOSTON, Mass. – Nolan Minessale's historic start to the 2025-26 season has earned him national recognition as part of the 'Early Season Watch List' for the Lou Henson Award, presented annually to the top mid-major player in Division I college basketball, as announced Thursday by CollegeInsider.com.
The award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, Western Athletic, and West Coast.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of CollegeInsider.com. The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, Ind., the site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Minessale, a Brookfield, Wis., native, is averaging 22.0 points and 4.0 assists per game with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, one of just four players nationally and two within mid-major with at least 20 ppg, 4 apg and a 2.0 A/TO ratio. He's shooting 56.0 percent from the field and leads NCAA DI with 11 20-point games. He was most recently named the Summit League Peak Performer of the Week for the fourth time this season, one of four Summit League athletes to earn the award at least four times in one season since 2021-22.
Within the Summit League, Minessale ranks among the top four in total points (1st), points per game (1st), free throws made (2nd), total assists (2nd), assists per game (2nd), field goal percentage (2nd), and assist-to-turnover ratio (4th). He's scored two of the league's three 30-point games this season (the only Tommie during the DI era with multiple 30-point games in a season), including a 32-point game against Weber State on Dec. 7 that tied the program's DI single-game record.
To view the full 2025-26 Lou Henson Early Season Watch List, click HERE.
St. Thomas begins a four-game homestand Saturday, Dec. 20 with a 7 p.m. tip-off against UC Riverside at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Men's Basketball, follow along on X at @TommieMBBall and Instagram at @tommiehoops. Tommie Athletics is now on TikTok at @tommiesports.
Join Us
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommie's 2025-26 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
The award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.
Players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, Western Athletic, and West Coast.
The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of CollegeInsider.com. The 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, Ind., the site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
Minessale, a Brookfield, Wis., native, is averaging 22.0 points and 4.0 assists per game with a 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio, one of just four players nationally and two within mid-major with at least 20 ppg, 4 apg and a 2.0 A/TO ratio. He's shooting 56.0 percent from the field and leads NCAA DI with 11 20-point games. He was most recently named the Summit League Peak Performer of the Week for the fourth time this season, one of four Summit League athletes to earn the award at least four times in one season since 2021-22.
Within the Summit League, Minessale ranks among the top four in total points (1st), points per game (1st), free throws made (2nd), total assists (2nd), assists per game (2nd), field goal percentage (2nd), and assist-to-turnover ratio (4th). He's scored two of the league's three 30-point games this season (the only Tommie during the DI era with multiple 30-point games in a season), including a 32-point game against Weber State on Dec. 7 that tied the program's DI single-game record.
To view the full 2025-26 Lou Henson Early Season Watch List, click HERE.
St. Thomas begins a four-game homestand Saturday, Dec. 20 with a 7 p.m. tip-off against UC Riverside at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena.
Follow Along
For more information on St. Thomas Men's Basketball, follow along on X at @TommieMBBall and Instagram at @tommiehoops. Tommie Athletics is now on TikTok at @tommiesports.
Join Us
To reserve your seat to be a part of the Tommie's 2025-26 season, click HERE to view ticketing information and purchase options.
-- St. Thomas Athletics --
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