Valley Teams Succeeding in the Classroom

Seven Valley Schools Honored

(Kansas City, MO) – The NABC has announced the recipients of the 2022-23 NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards and NABC Honors Court, representing outstanding achievement in the classroom by men’s college basketball teams and student-athletes.

The NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards recognize men’s basketball programs that completed the 2022-23 academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The NABC Honors Court, meanwhile, includes junior, senior and graduate student men’s basketball players who finished the 2022-23 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.

The NABC’s academic awards include honorees from all levels of college basketball.

“Education is a core value of the NABC, and we are privileged to recognize these outstanding student-athletes and the coaches and support staff who invest in their development,” said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. “The hundreds of teams and thousands of players that qualified for NABC academic awards this season are a testament to our sport’s ongoing prioritization of success in the classroom.”

Over 1,800 players earned spots on the NABC Honors Court and over 300 programs received NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards for 2022-23.

Missouri Valley Conference NABC honored teams are Belmont, Evansville, Illinois State, Indiana State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Valparaiso.

What They’re Saying

Evansville coach David Ragland told gopurpleaces.com that he cares deeply about his players’ academic success.

“We want student athletes who compete in the classroom just like we expect them to compete on the basketball floor,” UE head men’s basketball coach David Ragland said.  “Our goal is to win championships on and off the court.”

Nine Purple Aces recorded at least a 3.0 GPA.

Missouri State posted a 3.12 cumulative grade point average for the academic year, well above the 3.00 qualifying standard for the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, including a 3.302 for the spring semester which marked the squad’s best on record. Twelve MSU basketball student-athletes landed on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (3.0 GPA or higher).

Since inception of the NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards in 2013, Belmont is one of only two NCAA Division I programs to be honored every year (Eastern Washington).

Belmont has posted a team GPA of 3.0 or higher 23 consecutive years.

Belmont annually ranks among NCAA Division I leaders on this academic achievement list, with 66 Bruin selections to the NABC Honors Court since 2011.

Editor: This is a compilation of press releases.