ATLANTA – University of Dayton forward DaRon Homes II has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Jersey Mike's Naismith Men's National Player of the Year Award.  Holmes, who last season was First Team All-Atlantic 10 and named to the A-10's All-Defensive Team, is one of 50 top college players named to the watch list.

A 6-foot-10 junior forward from Goodyear, Ariz., Holmes led UD in scoring (18.4), and was second in rebounding (8.1.)  He was the only player in the A-10 to be in the top five in both.  He also led the A-10 in blocked shots (1.94).  He was the Most Outstanding Player of the 2023 Men's Basketball Championship.

A two-time Flyer White Allen MVP, he is the only true sophomore, fifth-youngest by age, and 12th-fastest by games played, to score 1,000 points at UD.

Some of the student-athletes on the Naismith Watch List  include Armando Bacot of North Carolina, Boo Buie of Northwestern, L.J. Cryer of Houston, Hunter Dickinson of Kansas, Zach Edey of Purdue, Kyle Filipowski of Duke, Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton, Tyler Kolek of Marquette and Caleb Love of Arizona. 

Holmes is the only Atlantic 10 player on the list.

The award is presented by the Atlanta Tip-Off Club.  

Dayton opens the season Monday at home against SIUE at 7 p.m. ET.