FT. MYERS, Fla. – UIndy men's basketball student-athlete Jesse Bingham earned a spot in the top 50 for the 2023 Bevo Francis Award, announced by Small College Basketball earlier this weekend. The Indianapolis native is the first Greyhound since the award's inception to advance to the top 50.

Bingham was previously named to the top-100 watch list, joining UIndy alum Jimmy King in 2020.
 
Per the NCAA: "The award was created in 2015 and is named after Clarence "Bevo" Francis. Francis played two seasons at what is now the University of Rio Grande. In his first season, he led the team to a 39-0 record averaging 50.1 points per game, highlighted by a 116-point performance against Ashland College in Kentucky.
 
DII men's basketball's Trevor Hudgins last won the award in 2022. Hudgins capped his career last season with his third-straight national championship, third MIAA player of the year award, and second NABC DII player of the year award as one of the leaders of the Northwest Missouri State dynasty. He was the second Bearcat to win the award since 2017, with Justin Pitts taking the honors that season."
 
The list features student-athletes from NCAA Division II, Division II, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA. Twenty of the honorees, including Bingham, are members of NCAA DII institutions.
 
Bingham last became the 44th Greyhound in program history to reach 1,000 career points, dropping 14 against Maryville on Monday, Jan. 14. This season, the redshirt-sophomore is averaging 15.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.