Santos recovered from offseason hip surgery and started every game for the second season in a row. He has 825 points in two seasons with the Flyers and 941 in his career. He also made the all-academic team for the second year in a row.
Cheeks, a fifth-year guard, received an A-10 year-end award for the first time, making the third team. He also made the third team two years ago in the Horizon League in his final season at Robert Morris. He ranked second in scoring (13.4), first minutes (33.4) and first in rebounding (6.3) and steals (1.8).
Cheeks also made the all-defensive team. He ranked fourth in the league in steals. In two seasons at Dayton, he has started every game except the one against Division III Capital University in November.
L’Etang, a 7-foot-1 freshman from France, averaged 7.2 points and 4.4 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game. He moved into the starting lineup in mid-January and split time with fifth-year forward Zed Key most of the season.
L’Etang made one of the plays of the season, catching a long alley-oop pass at the rim from Malachi Smith and scored on a layup with 0.2 seconds remaining in an 83-81 victory against Loyola Chicago in January.
L’Etang is the first Dayton player to make the all-rookie team since Mike Sharavjamts in 2023. Other Flyers who have made the all-rookie team are: DaRon Holmes II and Malachi Smith (2022); Mustapha Amzil (2021); Obi Toppin (2019); Jalen Crutcher (2018); Juwan Staten (2011); Chris Johnson (2009); Chris Wright (2008); Brian Roberts (2005); Keith Waleskowski (2001); Brooks Hall (2000); and Tony Stanley (1998).
The awards were announced one day before the start of the A-10 tournament at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
No. 3 seed Dayton (22-9) will play No. 6 Saint Joseph’s (20-10), No. 11 Massachusetts (12-19) or No. 14 La Salle (13-18) in the quarterfinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Credit: David Jablonski
COMPLETE A-10 AWARDS
Player of the Year: Max Shulga, VCU.
Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Billups, George Mason.
Rookie of the Year: Deuce Jones, La Salle.
Chris Daniels Most Improved Player: Reed Bailey, Davidson.
Sixth Man of the Year: Zeb Jackson, VCU.
Coach of the Year: Tony Skinn, George Mason.
All-Conference First Team
Reed Bailey, Davidson
Jalen Haynes, George Mason
Xzayvier Brown, Saint Joseph’s
Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
Gibson Jimerson, Saint Louis
Max Shulga, VCU
All-Conference Second Team
Nate Santos, Dayton
Rafael Castro, George Washington
Jayden Dawson, Loyola Chicago
Erik Reynolds II, Saint Joseph’s
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Joe Bamisile, VCU
All-Conference Third Team
Enoch Cheeks, Dayton
Sebastian Thomas, Rhode Island
Darius Maddox, George Mason
Rahsool Diggins, Massachusetts
Melvin Council Jr., St. Bonaventure
Isaiah Swope, Saint Louis
All-Academic Team
Nate Santos, Dayton
Dusan Neskovic, Richmond
Chance Moore, St. Bonaventure
Gibson Jimerson, Saint Louis
Joe Bamisile, VCU
All-Defensive Team
Enoch Cheeks, Dayton
Jared Billups, George Mason
Rafael Castro, George Washington
Miles Rubin, Loyola Chicago
Justice Ajogbor, Saint Joseph’s
Luke Bamgboye, VCU
All-Rookie Team
Amaël L’Etang, Dayton
Christian Jones, George Washington
Deuce Jones, La Salle
Dasear Haskins, SJU
Luke Bamgboye, VCU
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