NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt sophomore guard Tyler Tanner was named to the 2026 Naismith Men’s College Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE Late-Season Team, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Friday.
Tanner is among the 15 players vying for the award heading into the closing week of the season. The Brentwood native leads all high-major players with 67 steals on the year. The 67 takeaways are tied for sixth all-time at Vanderbilt and just 10 shy of the school record set by James Strong in 1998-99.
The Commodore guard is still the only high-major player averaging better than 18 points, five assists and two steals this season. With four more assists, Tanner will become just the ninth SEC player to record 150 assists and 60 steals in a single season since 1996-97.
Tanner is one of three SEC representatives on the list and one of five guards. Tanner and the Commodores return to action Saturday in a 1 p.m. CT tipoff at Kentucky.
