Academic accolades shine on UH Hilo basketball
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s men’s basketball program has been recognized by the National Association of Basketball Coaches with the Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2025‑26 season, a distinction that highlights sustained scholarly performance across the roster.
The award, which celebrates programs maintaining a collective grade point average of at least 3.0, underscores the team’s commitment to balancing athletic competition with academic rigor.
Six players join the NABC Honors Court
In addition to the team honor, six individual student‑athletes earned placement on the NABC Honors Court, a list that includes Charles Higby Jr., Fabio Da Rocha, Isaiah Hinds, Jamal Entezami, Julio Montes II and Telryn Villa.
Selection to the Honors Court requires a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, reflecting a high standard of academic achievement among junior, senior and graduate students in the sport.
Coach Charles Higby Jr. praised the collective effort that made the recognition possible, noting that the culture of excellence extends from the classroom to the practice gym.
A model for collegiate athletics
The dual recognition places UH Hilo among a small group of programs that excel both on the scoreboard and in the lecture hall, offering a template for other institutions seeking to integrate academic support with competitive sports.
University officials highlighted the role of academic advisors and tutoring resources that have contributed to the team’s upward trajectory in the classroom, while emphasizing that the achievement reflects the student‑athletes’ personal dedication.