Florida Atlantic University men’s basketball players Josiah Parker and Devin Vanterpool received major postseason honors from the American Athletic Conference, according to a March 10 announcement by the league.
The recognition highlights individual achievements for both athletes during the 2025-26 season. These awards reflect their significant contributions to the Florida Atlantic Owls’ performance in conference play.
Parker was named the 2026 American Freshman of the Year after earning seven freshman of the week honors throughout the season. He achieved single-game highs of 25 points—the most by an Owl freshman since 2019—and recorded 14 rebounds, which is the highest for an FAU player since Vlad Goldin in 2023 and for a freshman since Madiaw Niang in 2018. During February, Parker averaged 16.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game while making his first three collegiate starts. He led the team with a total of 149 rebounds in conference games and finished the regular season with six double-doubles, including four consecutive ones in February.
Vanterpool, a redshirt sophomore from Laurel, Maryland, was named Most Improved Player of the Year and earned third team all-conference honors. He started in 24 games this season and set career-highs across all statistical categories, leading Florida Atlantic with an average of 15.8 points per game and totaling 37 steals. Vanterpool appeared twice on the conference’s weekly honorable mention list and was noted as the only Owl to score at least 30 points in a game this season—the first FAU player to do so since Johnell Davis in January of 2024. He also led his team with eight games scoring more than twenty points.
All-session ticket packages are now available for purchase for fans interested in attending the upcoming American Conference Basketball Championships.
The broader impact of these awards underscores Florida Atlantic’s continued development of standout talent within its basketball program.
