ROSEMONT, Ill. – Michigan State senior guard Cassius Winston has been unanimously chosen as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year heading into the 2019-20 basketball season, as voted on by a panel of conference media members. Winston was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2018-19 after leading the Spartans to the Big Ten Championship, Big Ten Tournament Championship and a Final Four appearance. He is the first reigning Player of the Year to be selected as the Preseason Player of the Year in the following season since fellow Spartan Kalin Lucas received the accolade in 2009-10 after claiming postseason honors following the 2008-09 season.
The media also selected a 10-member Preseason All-Big Ten Team with eight conference programs represented.
Winston was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team along with Maryland senior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. and Ohio State junior forward Kaleb Wesson. Illinois sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu, Iowa sophomore guard Joe Wieskamp, Maryland sophomore forward Jalen Smith, Michigan senior guard Zavier Simpson, Michigan State junior forward Xavier Tillman, Penn State senior forward Lamar Stevens and Purdue junior guard Nojel Eastern also earned preseason accolades.
Winston and Stevens earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2018-19. Cowan and Simpson were second-team selections while Dosunmu and Wesson collected honorable mention plaudits last year. Dosunmu, Smith and Wieskamp were All-Freshman Team honorees, Eastern and Simpson were on the All-Defensive Team and Tillman was recognized as the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year.
2019-20 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CASSIUS WINSTON, SENIOR GUARD, MICHIGAN STATE
2019-20 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Ayo Dosunmu, Sophomore Guard, Illinois
Joe Wieskamp, Sophomore Guard, Iowa
ANTHONY COWAN JR., SENIOR GUARD, MARYLAND
Jalen Smith, Sophomore Forward, Maryland
Zavier Simpson, Senior Guard, Michigan
Xavier Tillman, Junior Forward, Michigan State
CASSIUS WINSTON, SENIOR GUARD, MICHIGAN STATE
KALEB WESSON, JUNIOR FORWARD, OHIO STATE
Lamar Stevens, Senior Forward, Penn State
Nojel Eastern, Junior Guard, Purdue
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
The media also selected a 10-member Preseason All-Big Ten Team with eight conference programs represented.
Winston was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-Big Ten Team along with Maryland senior guard Anthony Cowan Jr. and Ohio State junior forward Kaleb Wesson. Illinois sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu, Iowa sophomore guard Joe Wieskamp, Maryland sophomore forward Jalen Smith, Michigan senior guard Zavier Simpson, Michigan State junior forward Xavier Tillman, Penn State senior forward Lamar Stevens and Purdue junior guard Nojel Eastern also earned preseason accolades.
Winston and Stevens earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2018-19. Cowan and Simpson were second-team selections while Dosunmu and Wesson collected honorable mention plaudits last year. Dosunmu, Smith and Wieskamp were All-Freshman Team honorees, Eastern and Simpson were on the All-Defensive Team and Tillman was recognized as the Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year.
2019-20 PRESEASON BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR
CASSIUS WINSTON, SENIOR GUARD, MICHIGAN STATE
2019-20 PRESEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Ayo Dosunmu, Sophomore Guard, Illinois
Joe Wieskamp, Sophomore Guard, Iowa
ANTHONY COWAN JR., SENIOR GUARD, MARYLAND
Jalen Smith, Sophomore Forward, Maryland
Zavier Simpson, Senior Guard, Michigan
Xavier Tillman, Junior Forward, Michigan State
CASSIUS WINSTON, SENIOR GUARD, MICHIGAN STATE
KALEB WESSON, JUNIOR FORWARD, OHIO STATE
Lamar Stevens, Senior Forward, Penn State
Nojel Eastern, Junior Guard, Purdue
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
