KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has announced the 2020-21 NABC Honors Court, with three members of the Trine men's basketball team being honored: Nick Bowman, Griffin Lorimer and Bryce Williams. The award recognizes men's collegiate basketball student-athletes in all NCAA divisions and the NAIA, who excelled in academics.
In order to be named to the Honors Court, a student-athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria. The qualifications are as follows:
1. Academically a junior or senior and a varsity player.
2. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the 2020-21 academic year.
3. Students must have matriculated at least one year at their current institution.
4. Member of a NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Division I institution with a NABC member coach.
The NABC also announced the 2020-21 Team Academic Excellence Awards to men's basketball programs who have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above. The Trine men's basketball team was listed as a program garnering outstanding academic achievement in the 2020-21 season.
Junior Nick Bowman [Angola, IN. / Hamilton Southeastern] is a Criminal Justice major and was the team leader in scoring at 21.8 points per game in 2020-21. Bowman was named First Team All-American by DIIIhoops.com, the first time a Thunder basketball player was named First Team All-American since Chad LaCross in 2000-01. Bowman was also named Most Valuable Player in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) after leading the league in scoring (21.8 PPG) and steals (3.5 SPG).
Junior Engineering major Griffin Lorimer [Spring Lake, MI / Spring Lake] competed in 14 games for the Thunder this season. He scored a career-high eight points on 4-for-4 shooting in a win versus Alma on February 11. He was also perfect from the field (3-for-3) with six points in the 73-72 victory against Benedictine (Ill.) on January 14.
Junior Bryce Williams [Archbold, OH / Archbold] was also named to the Honors Court as a Business major. Williams averaged 10.6 points per game in the 2020-21 season and shot 45.5% from beyond the arc, good for third in the MIAA. Williams knocked down six shots from "three" en route to a career-high 19 points at Olivet on February 13.