Academic Honors Recognized
The National Association of Basketball Coaches unveiled its 2025‑26 NABC Honors Court and Team Academic Excellence Awards this week, spotlighting programs that have excelled both on the hardwood and in the classroom.
Among the honorees, Denison University’s rising seniors Kellon Smith and Jack Steinbach earned spots on the prestigious Honors Court, a distinction reserved for players who maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher while navigating the rigors of a demanding basketball schedule.
Denison’s men’s basketball program also captured the 2025‑26 Team Academic Excellence Award, an accolade that recognizes squads posting a collective team GPA of at least 3.0. The university’s achievement joins those of conference rivals Wittenberg and Wabash, both of which received the same honor, underscoring the strength of the North Coast Athletic Conference’s academic culture.
The scope of the recognition is striking: more than 400 programs across NCAA Division I, II and III earned the Team Academic Excellence Award this year, reflecting a league‑wide commitment to scholarly achievement that parallels athletic ambition.
For student‑athletes like Smith and Steinbach, the dual emphasis on competition and classroom performance offers a model of success that extends beyond the final buzzer, shaping future leaders who value intellectual growth as much as athletic prowess.