Freshman Nerlens Noel became the fourth Kentucky freshman to earn a Southeastern Conference weekly award when he was tabbed the league’s top performing freshman it was announced on Monday morning. With Noel’s honor today, all four of UK’s freshmen have been tabbed the league’s freshman of the week recipient at least once this season.
Noel averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, 6.5 blocks and two steals in a pair of wins for the Wildcats this week. Against Tennessee, the Everett, Mass., native posted 12 points, nine boards six blocks and four steals. He followed that performance with a 10-point, nine rebound and seven-block performance at Auburn on Saturday.
The 6-10 freshman has registered at least six rebounds in every game this season and has reached double-figure scoring in all four Southeastern Conference games. Over his last three games, Noel has swatted 20 opponent attempts including matching a career-high of seven rejections against the Tigers.
Noel has recorded 69 blocks on the year which ranks as the fifth-most in a single-season for a freshman in school history. He’s one shy of cracking the single-season top-10 chart in UK’s record books. Furthermore, he’s the only player in the country to rank among the top-30 nationally in rebounds, blocks and steals.
The SEC honor is the first of Noel’s career. He joins teammates Willie Cauley-Stein, Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress as other Freshman of the Week honorees. Sophomore Kyle Wiltjer has also earned SEC Player of the Week accolades this season.
Kentucky returns to the floor when it concludes its two-game road swing through the state of Alabama with a matchup against the Crimson Tide on Tuesday. Tipoff is slated for 9 p.m. ET with the game set to air on ESPN.



Well earned Nerlens…you’re quite an inspiration!
Love the play & attitude of Nerlens. Wish every one of them would play with the same fire in their veins, but all players are not alike. That’s what makes each team & each year so much fun.We have 2 more months to see where this ride will end. It’s been a lot of fun so far. Good luck to all of the teams of BBN.
Well Deserved and very impressive…
It’s hard to believe this is his first award of the season, with his consistently stellar play. Congratulations, Nerlens!
Same here Karen. Seems like he should have won it several times
NO, it doesn’t SEEM like he should have.
HE SHOULD HAVE!!!
Congrats big dude.
Well deserved and congrats! Maturity and talent go a long way.
At this pace, He Will become SEC Player of the Year…Nerlen’s is just so constant…