Saint Martin’s University redshirt sophomore guard Kaden Hansen earned GNAC Player of the Year honors, becoming the second Saint to ever win the award.
Hansen joined Diego Trejo-Delgado on the All-GNAC First Team, while Dae’Kwon Watson earned Second Team All-GNAC recognition.
Hansen led the GNAC in scoring with 20.0 points per game, 3-pointers per game with 2.9, and free-throw percentage at 86.7%. He racked up 15 games with 20 or more points and three 30-point performances. He also averaged 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
“Kaden has put together an incredible season, but even more special than his on-court play is the story of his perseverance, patience and faith after missing an entire year due to injury and health setbacks,” head coach Aaron Landon said in a release. “It’s been inspiring for us to witness such a beautiful comeback story. Kaden is one of the best scorers in the country, but it’s his competitive drive that makes him special. He’s grown tremendously as a leader and has absolutely earned this recognition. We’re very proud of him.”
Trejo-Delgado has provided a consistently effective post presence for the Saints this season, ranking ninth in the GNAC with 15.4 points per game and third in the conference with 6.8 rebounds per game. He also ranks seventh in the conference with 1.0 blocks per game. Trejo-Delgado recorded six 20-point performances this season and four double-doubles.
“Diego just kept getting better and better as the season went on,” Landon said. “He held us together in a tough stretch where we had several injuries, and I thought he delivered when we needed him the most. That’s a special trait in a player, and Diego proved to be a big-time winner with his play down the stretch. Diego is beloved by his teammates and coaches. We know how special his talent is, and we believe he can get even better. We’re lucky to have him.”
Watson averaged 12.9 points per game this season. Defensively, he topped the conference with 2.1 steals per game. He helped the Saints secure a victory at Alaska Anchorage in the team’s regular season finale, drilling a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to stun the Seawolves.
“Dae’Kwon missed a third of GNAC play with injury, but he’s without a doubt one of the top 5-6 players in the GNAC,” Landon said. “The motor that Dae’Kwon plays with and his competitive intensity goes so far beyond the stat sheet. Dae is a big-time shot-maker on offense and an absolute terror on the defensive end. He gives us an engine and a layer of toughness that is impossible to replace when he’s not on the court. As he gets healthy, he can take us to another level.”
Landon was named GNAC Coach of the Year, and the entire coaching staff, including Landon, Tyler Velasquez and Wesley Reynolds, earned GNAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
The honors flooded in for the Saints as they finished the regular season with a 23-5 record, including 15-3 in GNAC play, tied for the second-most GNAC wins in a season in program history. Saint Martin’s clinched the 2025-26 GNAC regular season championship for the third time in the last five years.
The Saints, the top-seeded team in the GNAC Tournament, will face the winner of Seattle Pacific and Central Washington in the semifinals Friday in Bellingham.
