SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – University of Dayton forward DaRon Homes II has been named one of five 2024 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year finalists. 

Holmes, who is also on the active national player of the year watch lists for the Atlanta Tipoff Club's Naismith Trophy, Wooden award and the USBWA's Oscar Robertson Trophy, is just the second Dayton player named a Malone finalist.  Obi Toppin, who won the award after the 2019-20 season, was the first.  

The other players named to the finalist list for the Malone award are Kyle Filipowski (Duke), Enrique Freeman (Akron), Jaedon Lee (San Diego State) and Great Osobor (Utah State). 

A 6-foot-10 junior forward from Goodyear, Ariz., Holmes II is the only player in NCAA Division I who has more than 60 blocks, 60 dunks and 60 assists this season.  Holmes has 62, 61 and 71 respectively.   The leading candidate for Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year, Holmes was the only player named Preseason First Team All-Atlantic 10 and to the Preseason All-Defensive Team.  

He leads the A-10 in scoring (20.1) and UD in rebounding (8.2).  He is the only player in the league's top six in scoring, rebounding, FG%, and blocked shots.  After making just seven three-pointers in his first two seasons (and shooting .269 from deep), Holmes has made 29 this season, and is shooting .387 from beyond the arc.

Holmes has improved his FT% from .586 to .669 to .695 this season, while shooting more free throws every season.  He has 28 more free throws made in one less game than anyone else in the A-10.

The award is presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named after 11-time All-NBA First Team selection Karl Malone.  It is part of the Hall of Fame's "Starting Five" awards program.  The other awards on the men's side are the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Julius Erving Small Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award.  All five greats are members of the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, March 8.   Click here to #VoteForDeuce.

For more information on the 2024 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward.