KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The William & Mary men's basketball team gained recognition for its efforts in the classroom, garnering the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Academic Excellence Award, the organization announced on Wednesday. The honor recognizes outstanding academic achievement by a team with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better for the 2017-18 season.
It marks the second-straight year and third time in the six-year history of the team honor that the Tribe has been recognized. W&M received the distinction last season and in 2012-13 as well. This season, the Green and Gold was one of 43 Division I programs and 188 across the country in the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA to garner in the award. W&M was one of only two schools (along with Randolph College) in the state of Virginia and one of three (along with Elon and Hofstra) in the CAA to receive the accolade.
The Tribe achieved a cumulative team grade point average (GPA) of 3.17 for the year at the 'Public Ivy' institution, its best since 2010. Over the last eight years, the Tribe has posted a team GPA of 3.0.
On the court, the Tribe tallied a 19-12 record in 2017-18. The Green and Gold advanced to the CAA Semifinals and post double-digit league wins (11) for the fifth-straight year. W&M became the first team in NCAA history to shoot 80 percent from the free throw line, 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range in 2017-18. The Tribe won statistical national championships in both free throw (81.0) and 3-point percentage (43.4), while ranking among the national top 10 in six different categories.
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, go to www.nabc.org.
