USC’s Evan Mobley Wins Historic Haul Of Pac-12 Awards; Andy Enfield Coach Of The Year

LOS ANGELES — USC freshman forward Evan Mobley was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, the first player to ever win all three awards in the same season, and head coach Andy Enfield was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, it was announced by the Conference today (March 9). Mobley is only the second player from a major conference to win all three of these awards in the same season, joining Anthony Davis of Kentucky (SEC) who achieved the feat in the 2011-12 season.

Additionally, Mobley was named first-team All-Conference and guard Tahj Eaddy was named second-team All-Conference. Mobley was also named to the Pac-12’s five-player All-Defensive Team and the five-player All-Freshman Team.

Mobley, who has averaged 16.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.8 blocks per game, is just the fourth player to be selected as the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year (1996 - Shareef Abdur-Rahim, California; 2008 - Kevin Love, UCLA, 2018 - Deandre Ayton, Arizona) and the second Conference player to win Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year (1987 - Gary Payton, Oregon State). The 7-foot forward becomes the fourth Trojan to earn Conference Player of the Year honors and the first since Sam Clancy in 2002. The other Conference Players of the Year were Harold Miner in 1992 and Wayne Carlander in 1985. Mobley also becomes USC’s second Conference Freshman of the Year, joining Miner who won the award in 1990. Mobley is the third USC player to be selected as the top defensive player in the Pac-12, joining Marcus Simmons (2011) and Taj Gibson (2009).

Mobley set a Pac-12 record this season by earning seven Conference Freshman of the Week honors. He leads all Pac-12 players with 231 rebounds, 10 double-doubles and 77 blocks. The 77 blocks set the USC freshman single-season record and moves him into fourth on the all-time Pac-12 freshman blocks list.

Enfield was named the John R. Wooden Coach of the Year recipient as he guided the Trojans to a 21-6 record and second place in the Pac-12 with a 15-5 record, percentage points behind Oregon who went 14-4. USC’s 21 victories led all Pac-12 teams and only six Division I teams have won more games this season. Enfield has guided the Trojans to a 153-108 record in his eight seasons as USC’s head coach, the fourth most wins in school history. He also has set the best single-season, two-year, three-year, four-year, five-year and six-year records and has the Trojans currently ranked No. 24 in the Associated Press poll. Enfield is now six wins away from picking up his 200th career victory, as he is 194-136 in 10 years as a college head coach.

Enfield is the first USC head coach to be named the conference’s Coach of the Year since George Raveling in 1992. The other Conference Coach of the Year winners were Stan Morrison in 1985 and Bob Boyd in 1979.

Eaddy, a graduate transfer from Santa Clara, is second on the team with a 13.8 scoring average and leads the team with 55 three-pointers made. Eaddy’s last three-point basket came with 1.4 seconds remaining to give USC a 64-63 win at UCLA on March 6. Eaddy, who has scored in double figures in 21 of USC’s 27 games, also leads the Trojans with a 77.6 shooting percentage from the free throw line and is second on the team with 66 assists.

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