UTM’s Parker Stewart Picked for Player of the Year Watch List

Parker Stewart

University of Tennessee at Martin graduate Parker Stewart has been chosen to the 2022-23 Lou Henson National Player of the Year Award watch list, recognizing the top mid-major player in NCAA Division I men’s basketball.

Stewart is one of 50 names on the initial list, which was released by CollegeInsider.com. He joins SIUE’s Ray’Sean Taylor as the only Ohio Valley Conference representatives on the list as players on teams from the following conferences are eligible for the award: America East, ASUN, Big Sky, Big South, Big West, Colonial, Horizon, Independents, Ivy, Metro Atlantic, Mid-American, Mid-Eastern, Missouri Valley, Northeast, Ohio Valley, Patriot, Southern, Southland, Southwestern Athletic, Summit, Sun Belt and West Coast.

A 6-5, 205-pound guard, Stewart leads the Skyhawks in scoring (14.4 points per game), minutes played (28.5 per game) and steals (2.9 per game). He is the only UT Martin player that has started all seven games in 2022-23 and ranks second on the team in field goals made (33), three-point field goals made (16), free throws made (19), rebounding (4.7 per game) and assists (2.3 per game). His 20 steals are the most of any NCAA Division I men’s basketball player in the country.

Stewart has scored in double figures in each of the last six contests, including a season-best 21-point effort against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 20. He has drained multiple three-pointers in five straight games, including a season-high five treys (in 10 attempts) last night at Arkansas State. He began the season with six consecutive multi-steal performances with his career-high of six swipes coming against Harris-Stowe on Nov. 15. He scored his 1,000th career collegiate point at Youngstown State on Nov. 9.

Overall, the Union City native ranks in the top-10 in the OVC in steals per game (2.9, second), scoring (14.4 points per game, fourth), three-point field goals made (2.3 per game, seventh) and free throw percentage (.792, ninth).