Kentucky's Randle named SEC Freshman of the Year
Kentucky forward Julius Randle was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year by the league's coaches on Tuesday, leading a number of honors for the Wildcats.
Randle was named to the All-SEC First Team. Classmate James Young earned second-team honors. Both players were also selected to the All-Freshman Team. Sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein was named to the All-Defensive Team.
Undefeated regular-season champion Florida dominated the All-SEC voting. Billy Donovan was named coach of the year for the second straight season. Scottie Wilbeken was voted player of the year and Dorian Finney-Smith sixth-man of the year. Senior center Patric Young was named scholar athlete of the year and defensive player of the year.
Randle is the fifth consecutive Wildcat to be voted freshman of the year, joining DeMarcus Cousins, Terrence Jones, Anthony Davis and Nerlens Noel. UK's Patrick Patterson was the first Wildcat to win the award in 2008.
Randle finished the regular season leading UK in points (15.4) and rebounds (10.5) per game. He's the first player since Davis to finish the season averaging a double-double. Before that, no UK player had done so since Kenny Walker in 1984-85.
Young posted 23 double-figure scoring games this season and led the team with seven 20-point efforts. Young leads UK with 67 three-pointers this season.
Cauley-Stein has blocked 88 shots, the third most in a single season in UK history.
Wilbekin averages 12.9 points, 3.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.5 steals while usually guarding the opposition's top perimeter player.
SEC awards and teams
AWARDS
Coach of the Year: Billy Donovan, Florida
Player of the Year: Scottie Wilbekin, Florida
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Patric Young, Florida
Freshman of the Year: Julius Randle, Kentucky
Sixth-Man of the Year: Dorian Finney-Smith, Florida
Defensive Player of the Year: Patric Young, Florida
ALL-SEC TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
Trevor Releford Alabama G 6-1 Sr.
Casey Prather Florida F 6-6 Sr.
Scottie Wilbekin Florida G 6-2 Sr.
Julius Randle Kentucky F 6-9 Fr.
Johnny O'Bryant III LSU F 6-9 Jr.
Jabari Brown Missouri G 6-5 Jr.
Jordan McRae Tennessee G 6-6 Sr.
Jarnell Stokes Tennessee F 6-8 Jr.
SECOND TEAM
Bobby Portis Arkansas F 6-10 Fr.
Chris Denson Auburn G 6-2 Sr.
Patric Young Florida C 6-9 Sr.
Charles Mann Georgia G 6-5 So.
James Young Kentucky G 6-6 Fr.
Jordan Mickey LSU F 6-8 Fr.
Marshall Henderson Mississippi G 6-2 Sr.
Jarvis Summers Mississippi G 6-3 Jr.
Jordan Clarkson Missouri G 6-5 Jr.
Rod Odom Vanderbilt F 6-9 Sr.
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Shannon Hale Alabama F 6-8 Fr.
Bobby Portis Arkansas F 6-10 Fr.
Julius Randle Kentucky F 6-9 Fr.
James Young Kentucky G 6-6 Fr.
Jarell Martin LSU F 6-9 Fr
Jordan Mickey LSU F 6-8 Fr.
Sindarius Thornwell South Carolina G 6-5 Fr.
Damian Jones Vanderbilt C 6-10 Fr.
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Patric Young Florida C 6-9 Sr.
Scottie Wilbekin Florida G 6-2 Sr.
Willie Cauley-Stein Kentucky F 7-0 So.
Jordan Mickey LSU F 6-8 Fr.
Josh Richardson Tennessee G 6-6 Jr.
This story was originally published March 11, 2014 at 12:45 PM with the headline "Kentucky's Randle named SEC Freshman of the Year."