KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – University of Tennessee men’s basketball standout Nate Ament is the SEC Freshman of the Week for the third time this season, as announced Monday afternoon by the league office.
After winning his first two accolades outright, the forward from Manassas, Va., shared this week’s honor with Alabama forward Amari Allen. He has earned three of a possible four recognitions so far in 2025-26.
Ament averaged 16.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists 1.3 steals per game across a trio of outings at the Players Era Men’s Championship in Las Vegas. He helped Tennessee to a fourth-place finish in the loaded, 18-team field and scored 20 points in two of the three games
The 6-foot-10, 207-pounder opened the week with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in an 85-60 victory Monday morning against Rutgers. He shot 7-of-14 from the field, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
Ament followed that performance by posting nine points and four assists Tuesday in a 76-73 victory against No. 3/2 Houston. He went 7-of-8 from the stripe in the third AP top-three win for any team in the nation this season.
In the final contest of the week, Ament produced 20 points and nine rebounds Wednesday evening in a narrow setback versus Kansas. He connected on all eight of his free-throw attempts.
This is the 25th SEC Freshman of the Week honor for a Tennessee player since the award was reinstated in 2005-06, including the 13th in head coach Rick Barnes‘ 11-year tenure at the helm of the program.
Along with Ament, just two other Volunteers have won three SEC Freshman of the Week honors in a campaign. He follows Tobias Harris (2010-11) and Ramar Smith (2006-07).
Ament and No. 13 Tennessee (7-1) continue play Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Syracuse, N.Y., where they play at the JMA Wireless Dome against Syracuse in the ACC/SEC Challenge, live on ESPN2.
