Academic Excellence Recognized Across the Program
The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced that the Kent State University men's basketball team has been awarded the NABC Academic Excellence Award for the 2025-2026 season. The honor is reserved for programs that maintain a collective team grade point average of at least 3.0, underscoring the program's commitment to scholarly achievement alongside athletic performance.
In addition to the team accolade, senior forward Brenden Moss and junior guard Rob Whaley Jr. earned spots on the NABC Honors Court. Both players posted cumulative GPAs of 3.2 or higher, meeting the stringent academic criteria that the association uses to celebrate student‑athletes who excel in the classroom.
The NABC's academic awards are presented annually to teams and individual players across all divisions of college basketball. By recognizing Kent State's collective GPA and two of its standout athletes, the association highlights a growing emphasis on integrating academic rigor with competitive success in men's basketball.
University officials praised the achievement as a reflection of the institution's broader mission to develop well‑rounded leaders. "Our student‑athletes are held to high standards on the court and in the classroom," a senior administrator said in a statement. "This dual recognition reinforces that excellence in academics is a core component of our program's identity."