The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Swain named SEC Men’s Basketball Newcomer of the Year
03.09.2026 | Men's Basketball
Junior guard/forward Dailyn Swain also earns recognition on All-SEC Second Team.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — University of Texas junior guard/forward Dailyn Swain earned a pair of mentions on the 2025-26 Southeastern Conference Men's Basketball Awards teams, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Swain was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year and earned a spot on the five-person All-SEC Second Team.
The official All-SEC awards were selected by the league's head coaches, and the coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.
Swain is the first player in program history to earn SEC Newcomer of the Year honors and the fourth individual in school history to claim conference Newcomer of the Year accolades. Swain joins a distinguished group of Texas players to earn league Newcomer of the Year honors. Travis Mays (1987), Lance Blanks (1989) and B.J. Tyler (1992) garnered Southwest Conference Newcomer of the Year accolades. This marks the second-straight year that the Longhorns had a player earn a major individual league honor, as Tre Johnson claimed SEC Freshman of the Year recognition in 2025.
During UT's first 31 games (31 starts) this season, Swain leads the team in scoring (17.7 ppg), rebounding (7.5 rpg), assists (104, 3.4 apg), steals (55, 1.8 spg) and minutes (32.0 mpg) while hitting 55.4-percent (191-345) from the floor and 80.7-percent (138-171) from the free throw line. Per ESPN Research, he is currently the ONLY player in a Major Conference to lead his team in at least FIVE major statistical categories. Cameron Boozer (Duke) leads his team in four major stat categories through games of March 8.
Swain has reached double digits in scoring in 28 of the first 31 games, topped the 20-point 11 times, hit the 30-point mark twice and posted seven double-doubles this season. In SEC play, he averaged 19.6 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 3.3 apg and 1.8 spg in 34.2 mpg while hitting 54.9-percent (117-213) from the floor, including a 38.5-percent (20-52) mark from three-point range, and 82.5-percent (99-120) from the free throw line. He topped the 20-point mark nine times and the 30-point mark twice while posting five double-doubles in his 18 league games.
In conference play, Swain ranked eighth in scoring, third in rebounding, fourth in field goal percentage, tied for ninth in free throw percentage, fifth in steals and tied for second in defensive rebounds (6.33 rpg). He claimed SEC Co-Player of the Week honors on Feb. 16 and was named to the six-person Southwest Maui Invitational All-Tournament Team. Swain is one of 10 players on the Midseason Watch List for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award.
Texas (18-13, 9-9 SEC) is the No. 10 seed in the upcoming SEC Men's Basketball Tournament in Nashville, Tenn. The Longhorns will open play in a First Round contest against No. 15 seed Ole Miss on Wednesday, March 11 at approximately 6 p.m. Central (SEC Network).
