Basketball players earn Sun Belt honors

Tayton Conerway, Zay Dyer garner Sun Belt Conference awards for their 2025 performances

Both men’s and women’s basketball had players earn first team all-conference nods. Junior forward Zay Dyer of Troy women’s basketball was selected on the women’s side, and senior guard Tayton Conerway of Troy men’s basketball earned all-conference and Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors on the men’s side.

Conerway becomes the first Trojan player to win the Sun Belt Player of the Year award and becomes just the fifth Troy player all-time to take home a conference player of the year award. He is the first player to achieve this award since Greg Davis won Atlantic Sun Player of the Year award back in 2004.

“Tayton is extremely deserving of this honor,” said head coach Scott Cross in a statement to Troy Athletics. “He is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses and I am glad that he is on our side this week as we travel down to Pensacola, because I would have an extremely difficult time trying to figure out how to defend him.”

Conerway stuffed the stats for his senior season with the Trojans as he led Troy in points per game with 13.7 points and assists per game with 5.0 assists. He also tied for second in rebounds per game, grabbing 4.7 per game.

In addition to contributing to all aspects of offense, Conerway broke the Troy single-season steal record as he swiped the ball 91 times over the 2024-25 season. The mark put Conerway fourth for single season steals in Sun Belt Conference history, while also netting him fourth in the nation for season steals total.

In conference play the senior guard from Burleson, Texas, shot almost 50% from the field, as he averaged 16.1 points off 49.5% shooting. In 30 games on the season, Conerway scored in double digits in 23 of those games, recording a new career high of 32 points against Arkansas State.

On the women’s side of the game, Dyer earned her first first team all-conference nod as she became the second straight Trojan to receive the award after Tai’Sheka Porchia was named to the team last season.

“I’m thrilled that Zay is being honored with this award,” said head coach Chanda Rigby in a statement to Troy Athletics. “She works extremely hard and gives her all in the Troy uniform.”

The junior forward from Atlanta, Georgia, showed out for the Trojans as she led Troy and the Sun Belt conference in rebounds, 10.5 per game, and double-double performances. Dyer’s rebounding performances put her fifth in Troy’s single season history while her 325 rebounds on the season notch her 10th in the Troy overall rebounds record book.

Dyer finished the regular season with 14 double-double performances, placing her top 20 in the nation at 20th while her eight double-doubles in conference tied to lead the Sun Belt. Dyer’s 14 double-doubles in 30 games means the Atlanta native finished 46.6-percent of the regular season with a double-double.

The junior found her footing in the bottom half of the season as she scored double digits in six straight games, highlighted by 23 points against South Alabama and 22 points against Arkansas State, to cap off the regular season. That’s not to say anything about the start of the season as Dyer scored double figures in 23 of 30 regular season games for the Trojans.

The 2024-25 season also saw a career game for Dyer as she went out for 25 points and 21 rebounds, both season highs with her 21 rebounds being a new career high for the forward. The season also saw Dyer shoot an impressive 44.5-percent from the field, the fourth best mark in conference.

While the women earned yet another WNIT bid on Tuesday, Conerway will lead the men’s team in their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2017.