The Illinois Springfield men's basketball team has been recognized for academic excellence by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), with five student-athletes named to the 2024-25 NABC Honors Court and the program earning a Team Academic Excellence Award.

The NABC Honors Court and Team Academic Excellence Awards celebrate the academic achievements of men's college basketball programs and student-athletes across all divisions. This year, over 2,400 players earned Honors Court recognition, and nearly 400 programs—including UIS—received the Team Academic Excellence Award.

The NABC Team Academic Excellence Award is given to programs that finish the academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The Honors Court highlights the work of junior, senior, and graduate student-athletes who posted a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher for the academic year.

Five standout Prairie Stars were honored on the NABC Honors Court: Colin Schuler, Isaiah Esker, Max Kunnert, Nate Shockey, and Tye Banks.

This group of upperclassmen have exemplified the standard of academic success and leadership within the UIS men's basketball program, balancing the demands of collegiate athletics with high achievement in the classroom.

Full NABC Announcement