Three senior members of the TCNJ Lions men's basketball team have been celebrated for their academic excellence as well as their on‑court contributions.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches recently placed Nick Koch, Jonathan Okocha and Matthew Solomon on its Honors Court, recognizing each for a cumulative GPA of at least 3.2.
Their achievement coincides with a team‑wide academic honor: the Lions earned the NABC Team Academic Award after posting a collective GPA of 3.08.
Scholarship and Skill on Display
Nick Koch, a finance major, has been a scoring engine for the squad, leading the New Jersey Athletic Conference with 22.0 points per game and sitting second in program history for both total points (1,838) and assists (401).
Matthew Solomon, studying marketing, was named NJAC Defensive Player of the Year and holds the school record for rebounds, amassing 1,034 caroms over his career while also delivering career‑high averages of 14.4 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.
Jonathan Okocha, meanwhile, ranked third in the conference for three‑point shooting, sinking 62 treys this season and finishing with 127 career triples, which places him 11th all‑time in the school's record books.
Beyond individual accolades, the team's strong classroom performance reflects a culture that values scholarship as much as competition.