ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Small College Basketball released its Top 25 watch list for the 2025-26 Bevo Francis Award, with Northwestern men’s basketball sophomores Jalen Langsy and Jesse Van Kalsbeek being named among players across NCAA DII and DII, NAIA, USCAA, and NCCAA men’s basketball.
Langsy is second in the NAIA at 27.4 points per game and is second nationally in three-point percentage (51.4%) and free throw percentage (91.3%). The sophomore from Shakopee, Minnesota holds the program’s single-season threes record with 148 and is one of three Raiders to score over 900 points in a season (Alan Visser, Jesse Van Kalsbeek).
Van Kalsbeek leads the NAIA in scoring at 27.9 points per game and is second in the country in rebounding average (12.2). The sophomore from Sheldon, Iowa was named the GPAC Player of the Year for his efforts and is 34 points away from breaking the program’s single-season scoring record (953).
Langsy and Van Kalsbeek become the second and third Northwestern athletes to be on the Top 25 watch list, joining Alex Van Kalsbeek in 2024.
Finalists will be announced on April 4, with the Bevo Francis Award Winner named on April 6.
ABOUT THE BEVO FRANCIS AWARD
The Bevo Francis Award was created in 2015 and is named after Clarence “Bevo” Francis, who played two seasons at what is now the University of Rio Grande (Ohio). The award is presented annually to a player who has had the finest overall season in small college basketball.
