MEDFORD, MA (March 12, 2026) -- Senior forward
Scott Gyimesi was named Thursday afternoon as one of 11 finalists nationally for the 2026 Jostens Trophy, as he becomes the first-ever Jumbo to repeat as a finalist.
The Jostens Trophy - one for men's basketball and one for women's basketball - is a national award created by the Rotary Club of Salem (Va.) and sponsored by Jostens, Inc., to recognize the most outstanding men's and women's Division III basketball Players of the Year. The awards focus on three major criteria - basketball ability, academic prowess, and service to one's surrounding communities. The Jostens Trophy models the Rotary International motto of "Service Above Self" by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of a well-rounded Division III student-athlete.
The 2026 season marks the 28th time the Jostens Trophy honors will be awarded. The 22 finalists on the men's and women's sides will now be reviewed by the Jostens Trophy National Selection Committee. The 30-person committee is composed of men and women from across the country. The committee features current and former athletic administrators and head coaches, past Jostens Trophy recipients, and select members of the Division III media.
Gyimesi is the first Jumbos player to be honored as a finalist twice in his career, as Luke Rogers was a finalist in 2022 while Erica DeCandido was a women's finalist in 2020.
Gyimesi was recently selected as the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Player of the Year as well as All-NESCAC First Team for the third consecutive season. Having his best season as a Jumbo, Gyimesi has helped lead the Jumbos to a 22-5 record overall while advancing to the NCAA Division III Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons.
Gyimesi leads the Jumbos with 16.4 points per game, while his rebounding totals of 9.8 per game lead the conference. He is ranked in the Top 10 nationally in double-doubles with 15 this season, while he is third in the conference in shooting percentage, making 56.0 percent from the floor. He has been named as a two-time NESCAC Player of the Week this season, upping his career mark to seven.
The Fair Haven, NJ native also has shot a stellar 41.2 percent from three-point rank this season, ranking second on the team with 64 assists and 23 blocks. He is the only NESCAC finalist this season.
The list of the 2026 Jostens Trophy finalists is below:
Chris Bryant, Hardin-Simmons University
Brady Burman, Sarah Lawrence College
Mason Dopirak, Milwaukee School of Engineering
Mason Funk, Illinois Wesleyan University
Sam Grieger, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Scott Gyimesi, Tufts University
Chase Morgan, Maryville College (Tenn.)
Kevin Nowoswiat, Franklin & Marshall College
Ben Pearce, Emory University
Jack Plesser, Union College
Soren Richardson, Wheaton College (Ill.)
--JUMBOS--
