Daeshun Ruffin didn’t just play basketball this season — he commanded every floor he stepped on.
The Jackson State guard capped a thrilling campaign by being named the 2026 Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year, after emerging as the league’s most dynamic offensive force.
Ruffin powered the Tigers’ attack by leading the conference in scoring at 23.9 points per game, and was in the top 10 in assists and steals.
In conference play, he was even more explosive, pouring in just over 30 points per game against SWAC opponents to firmly stamp himself as the league’s go-to closer.
The 5-foot-10 Ole Miss transfer delivered several signature performances, including a 38-point outburst in an 81–78 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, where he went 10 of 27 from the floor, hit four three-pointers and knocked down 14 of 17 free throws.
That performance was part of a season-long pattern: Ruffin scored in double figures in 24 of 26 games and reached double digits in all but one conference contest, giving Jackson State a chance on most nights despite an up-and-down year in the standings.
Beyond the numbers, Ruffin’s pace, handle, and fearlessness off the dribble made him the focal point of every opposing scouting report and the engine of Jackson State’s offense.
His individual honor now places him alongside the SWAC’s elite guards of recent seasons and cements his legacy in Jackson as the guard who turned volume scoring into nightly theater.
Ruffin joins Ken Evans Jr., Tristan Jarrett, Eugene Short, Purvis Short, Lindsey Hunter, Trey Johnson, and Garrison Johnson as Jackson State players to win the award.
SWAC men’s basketball postseason awards
Alabama State’s Jerquarius Stanback claimed Defensive Player of the Year, anchoring the Hornets’ defense with his shot-blocking ability and presence in the paint.
Mississippi Valley State’s Michael James was named Newcomer of the Year, while Grambling State’s Antonio Munoz took home Freshman of the Year honors after an impressive debut campaign.
The All-SWAC First Team featured Ruffin (Jackson State), Dontae Horne (Prairie View A&M), Jakobi Heady (Bethune-Cookman), Quion Williams (Arkansas-Pine Bluff), and James (Mississippi Valley State).
The All-SWAC Second Team included Kintavious Dozier (Alabama A&M), Michael Jacobs (Southern), Troy Hupstead (Texas Southern), Daniel Rouzan (Bethune-Cookman), and Tai’Reon Joseph (Prairie View A&M).
