Volunteers standout Zakai Zeigler is on the fast track to basketball defensive royalty as he's been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The University of Tennessee guard is fighting for the prestigious award against nine other top national players, as reported by UTSports.com. Zeigler, an SEC star player, cut along with Auburn's Johni Broome, marking this his second consecutive year as a contender for this honor.
With stats that can't help but impress, having recently been crowned the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, the dynamic guard is placed fourth in the league for steals per game at a staggering 1.87 rate. Noteworthily, during league compete, snagging second place with 2.11 steals per game, as Volswire noted.
The defensive prowess of Zeigler shone through strongly as he recorded multiple steals in 15 games this season, with four-plus thefts in seven of those, further proving his elite status. His knack for swiping the ball ranks him second in the SEC and a formidable seventh at the Power Six conference level. In just 96 appearances for the Vols, Zeigler has accumulated an impressive 177 steals, as highlighted by Rutherford Source.
Chasing glory, the Long Island native's name is almost etched into the Tennessee record books as he's just two shy of cementing himself among the top 10 for single-season steals for the team. Adding to his collection of accolades, he carries the weight of the team's expectations on his back, currently co-sixth in Vols' history with 177 steals and sitting at a proud fifth among active SEC players, reports UTSports.com.
Zeigler's agility and on-court acumen will be on full display as Tennessee, currently ranked fifth and seeded number one, heads into SEC Tournament play Friday at the Bridgestone Arena. His next chance to shine before a live ESPN audience will be with the Vols as they face off against an opponent to be determined in Nashville, Tenn. The clamor and anticipation in the arena will undoubtedly reflect the significance of the moment for Zeigler and the Vols.
