For the second straight year, the best defender in Big Ten men's basketball resides in Happy Valley as guard Ace Baldwin Jr. wins his second straight conference Defensive Player of the Year award. The 6-foot-1 guard is only the sixth Big Ten player to win the award in consecutive years,

Penn State basketball lead guard Ace Baldwin Jr. was named a finalist for the Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Award on Wednesday. The award — named after legendary head coach Charles “Lefty” Driesell — is awarded annually to the top defensive player in Division I basketball.

Fifth-year senior point guard Ace Baldwin Jr. took home the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year award for the second straight season, winning it in both years he spent in Happy Valley. He was also, expectedly, a member of the All-Defensive team and an all-conference honorable mention recipient.

Penn State senior Ace Baldwin Jr. defended his Big Ten defensive player-of-the-year award this season, as he led the conference in steals and was considered one of its toughest on defense. Baldwin capped his college basketball career as a three-time conference player of the year,

Ace Baldwin Jr. was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, while he and Yanic Konan Niederhauser were named as conference honorable mentions and Puff Johnson was a Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree.

Baldwin Jr. and Yanic Konan Niederhouser earn Big Ten postseason honors, despite Penn State's disappointing season.

Penn State men's basketball graduate student Ace Baldwin Jr. has been named the Big Ten defensive player of the year for the second straight year.