KANSAS CITY, Mo.-- Five members of the Trine men's basketball team have been named to the 2014-15 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court, the organization announced Thursday.
Tyler Good (Swanton, Ohio/Evergreen), Jake Bagley (Van Wert, Ohio/Van Wert), Jared Holmquist (Reed City, Mich./Reed City), Ben Syroka (Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer) and Sloan Whitaker (Van Wert, Ohio/Lincolnview) each earned recognition on this year's Honors Court for their work in the classroom. To be named to the Honors Court a student-athlete must be a junior or senior academically, a varsity player, have achieved a 3.2 GPA or higher, have matriculated one full academic year at their current institution and be a member of a NCAA Division I, II or III or NAIA Division I or II institution with a NABC member coach.
All five of Trine's representatives on the Honors Court flew past the minimum academic requirements, as each student-athlete achieved a 3.45 GPA or higher. The efforts of these individuals helped the Thunder receive a NABC Team Academic Excellence Award for having a roster that combined for at least a 3.0 GPA.
Good is the first two-time member of the Honors Court in team history. Bagley, Holmquist, Syroka and Whitaker each earned the distinction for the first time in their Trine careers.
A record number of 1,000 student-athletes representing 350 colleges and universities were recognized on this year's Honors Court.
Trine concluded the 2014-15 season with its best record as a member of NCAA Division III. The Thunder finished with a 17-9 overall record and placed second in the MIAA. The team produced three All-MIAA performers, including two first-teamers.
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches.
All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education.
For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, go to www.nabc.org.