The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced its annual Team Academic Excellence Awards, recognizing collegiate programs that excelled academically during the 2025-26 academic year. UC Davis earned the distinction for the second year in a row, underscoring the program’s ongoing commitment to balancing athletic competition with scholarly achievement.
Award Criteria and Team Performance
To qualify, a team must post a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 across all roster members for the entire season. The Aggies met this benchmark with a team GPA that comfortably cleared the threshold, reflecting sustained academic diligence throughout the campaign.
More than 400 programs nationwide received the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award for 2025-26, illustrating a growing emphasis on education within college basketball. UC Davis’s repeated recognition places the Aggies among a select group of institutions that consistently prioritize student‑athlete development in the classroom.
Honors Court Highlights Individual Excellence
In addition to the team accolade, three UC Davis players earned placement on the NABC Honors Court, an honor reserved for junior, senior, and graduate student-athletes who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. The honorees — Brayden Fagbemi, Niko Rocak, and Connor Sevilla — exemplify the program’s blend of athletic talent and academic rigor.
The NABC’s academic awards span all divisions of college basketball, from Division I to Division III, as well as two‑year colleges. This inclusive framework ensures that achievements in the classroom are celebrated across the entire basketball ecosystem, reinforcing the association’s belief that scholarly success enhances athletic performance.
Looking Ahead
UC Davis’s back‑to‑back Team Academic Excellence Awards signal a continuing trajectory of excellence for the program. As the Aggies prepare for the upcoming season, the focus remains on sustaining both competitive success on the court and the high academic standards that have become a hallmark of the team’s identity.