Trevor Releford Named To Lefty Driesell Defensive All-American Team

University of Alabama junior guard Trevor Releford was named as one of 21 members to the 2013 Lefty Driesell Defensive All-America team, announced CollegeInsider.com. In being selected to the team, Releford becomes the first Alabama player to earn the recognition in the award's four years of existence.

The award will be presented to the nation's top defensive player on Friday, April 5 at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet in Atlanta, site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

Releford, who was selected to the SEC All-Defensive Team and also earned first-team all-conference and first-team all-district (USBWA) honors this year, is one of just two SEC players named to the 21-player list (Nerlens Noel, Kentucky).

Releford finished the year with 70 steals, which ranked as the third-most steals in a season in program history. In doing so, the Kansas City, Mo., native became the program's all-time steals leader (194) and is just the third player in program history to record 70 steals or more in season.

For the season, Releford led the Tide, ranked second in the SEC and 36th in the nation in steals per game (2.1). He also topped the team in scoring (14.9 ppg), three-point shooting (.407), free throw percentage (.824) and field goals made (167) and attempted (351) on the year.

As a team, Releford helped the Crimson Tide rank second in the SEC and 18th nationally in scoring defense, holding opponents to an average of 58.4 points per game. UA also led the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (.308) and was fifth in field goal percentage defense (.405).

Joining Releford on the team are Khem Birch (UNLV), Tommy Brenton (Stony Brook), Will Cherry (Montana), Ian Clark (Belmont), Aaron Craft (Ohio State), Gorgui Dieng (Louisville), Jontel Evans (Virginia), Shane Larkin (Miami), Zeke Marshall (Akron), Nerlens Noel (Kentucky), Chris Obekpa (St. John's), Victor Oladipo (Indiana), Andre Roberson (Colorado), Durand Scott (Miami), Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State), Michael Snaer (Florida State), D.J. Stephens (Memphis), Darius Theus (VCU), Julian Washburn (UTEP) and Jeff Withey (Kansas).

The Lefty Driesell award is named in honor of coaching legend Lefty Driesell, who is the only person to ever win 100 games at four different Division I schools.