Courtesy of Navy Athletics Communications

Video Announcement | Lou Henson Award Release | Hugh Durham Award Release

BOSTON, Mass. -- Navy's Jon Perry has been named the recipient of the 2026 Hugh Durham Award as the top mid-major men's basketball head coach in the county and senior guard Austin Benigni has received this year's Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award as the top mid-major men's basketball player in the NCAA, CollegeInsider.com, which sponsors the awards, announced today.

The Hugh Durham Award is named in honor of the former Florida State, Georgia and Jacksonville head coach.  Durham coached Florida State and Georgia to a combined eight NCAA Tournament appearances and two Final Fours.  He is one of 17 coaches to take multiple teams to the Final Four.  Durham compiled a 633-429 record in 37 seasons as a head coach.

Perry, who previously was named the 2026 Patriot League Coach of the Year, guided Navy to an overall record of 26-8, a Patriot League regular season title with a record of 17-1 and to the National Invitation Tournament.  The 26 wins are tied for second for the most by a Navy team and the Mids were just the second league team to post a 17-1 record.  It was Navy's first outright regular season crown since 1997, the program's first national postseason tournament appearance since 1998 and just the second time the Mids have played in the NIT (1962).

Statistically, Navy ranks sixth in the NCAA in defensive scoring (64.3 ppg), seventh in defensive three-point field goal percentage (29.7%), 27th in defensive field goal percentage (40.7%) and 30th in rebound margin (+5.7 rpg).  The Mids also received votes in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

The Lou Henson Award honors the former Illinois and New Mexico State head coach who won 775 games in 41 seasons.

Benigni ranks among the Patriot League and NCAA leaders this season in numerous statistical categories such as points (612 - 2nd Patriot League, 64th NCAA), assists (149 - 3rd Patriot League, 96th NCAA), free throw percentage (88.0% - 1st Patriot League, 40th NCAA), free throws made (176 - 1st Patriot League, 36th NCAA) and average minutes played (36:09 - 1st Patriot League, 30th NCAA).  

He scored in double figures in 32 of Navy's 34 games this season, tallied at least 20 points in 14 games and dished out five or more assists in 16 games.  He joins David Robinson as the only Mids who have scored 500 points in three seasons and is the first Navy player to lead the team in both points and assists in a season three times.

Benigni leaves Navy with his named etched throughout the school's career record book.  This includes being ranked third in points (1,923), fourth in assists (483), third in games scoring in double figures (94) and first in games played (130), free throws made (618) and free throw percentage (86.2%).  Benigni was named the 2026 Patriot League Player of the Year as well as this year's league's scholar-athlete of the year and is the third Mid to have earned a trio of All-Patriot League honors in a career (second team in 2024, first team in 2025 and '26).  He also received NABC Second Team All-District accolades and Second Team All-ECAC laurels this season.

Eligible coaches / players for the mid-major awards must be in the following conferences or leagues: America East, Atlantic Sun, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Coastal Athletic Association, Horizon League, Ivy League, Metro Atlantic Athletic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot League, Southern, Southland, Southwestern, Summit, Sun Belt, West Coast, Western Athletic and major independents.

The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

Hugh Durham Award Recipients
2026: Jon Perry, Navy
2025: John Groce, Akron 
2024: Josh Schertz, Indiana State 
2023: Amir Abdur-Rahim, Kennesaw State 
2022: Robert Jones, Norfolk State 
2021: Byron Smith, Prairie View A&M 
2020: Steve Forbes, ETSU 
2019: Darian DeVries, Drake 
2018: Ryan Odom, UMBC 
2017: Rod Barnes, CSU Bakersfield 
2016: James Jones, Yale 
2015: Brian Katz, Sacramento State 
2014: Tony Jasick, IPFW 
2013: Danny Kaspar, Stephen F. Austin 
2012: Eddie Payne, USC Upstate 
2011: Rick Byrd, Belmont 
2010: Mike Young, Wofford 
2009: Todd Bozeman, Morgan State 
2008: Keno Davis, Drake 
2007: Gregg Marshall, Winthrop 
2006: Pat Flannery, Bucknell 
2005: Bob Thomason, Pacific

Lou Henson Award Recipients
2026: Austin Benigni, Navy
2025: Brian Moore, Jr., Norfolk State
2024: Trey Townsend, Oakland
2023: Jordan Brown, Louisiana
2022: Malachi Smith, Chattanooga
2021: Max Abmas, Oral Roberts
2020: Nathan Knight, William & Mary
2019: Fletcher Magee, Wofford
2018: Clayton Custer, Loyola Chicago
2017; Justin Robinson, Monmouth
2016: Thomas Walkup, Stephen F. Austin
2015: Ty Greene, USC Upstate
2014: Langston Hall, Mercer
2013: Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary's
2012: Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk State
2011: Matt Howard, Butler
2010: Keith Benson, Oakland