The Central Michigan Chippewas men's basketball team has been celebrated for its scholarly accomplishments, earning a Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2025‑26 academic year.
A Season of Scholarship
The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) bestows the Team Academic Excellence Award on programs that post a collective grade point average of at least 3.0, a benchmark the Chippewas surpassed with a team GPA that placed them among the nation's top performers.
Six Chippewa athletes — Kareem Aburashed, Tamario Adley, Jorden Brooks, Nathan Claerbaut, Nick Mullen and Kayden Nation — were selected to the NABC Honors Court, a distinction reserved for juniors, seniors and graduate students who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.
The recognition underscores a growing emphasis on academic integrity within college basketball, a trend reflected in the fact that over 2,300 players earned Honors Court spots and more than 400 programs received Team Academic Excellence Awards during the 2025‑26 cycle.
Presented in Kansas City, Missouri, the awards were highlighted at the NABC’s annual gathering, where the organization’s commitment to developing well‑rounded student‑athletes was on full display.