KANSAS CITY - Nine standout America East men's basketball student-athletes, three of which were also America East All-Academic selections this season, were listed on the 2014-15 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court, which was announced last week. The Honors Court recognizes collegiate basketball student-athletes across all three NCAA divisions and NAIA who excelled in academics during the past year.
University at Albany's Peter Hooley, Sam Rowley and Reece Williams,University of Hartford's Andrew Crowley, Mark Nwakamma, Dougal Weir and Corban Wroe, University of New Hampshire's Joe Bramanti and University of Vermont's Ryan Pierson all earned the honor. Hooley, Rowley and Wroe were all also America East All-Academic choices in 2014-15 and Rowley was the league's men's basketball Scholar-Athlete.
Five of the honoreers were also recognized for their play on the court this season. Rowley was a first-team all-conference selection while Hooley and Nwakamma were second-team choices. Hooley was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the America East Playoffs. Bramanti and Wroe were All-Defensive selections.
A record number of 1,000 student-athletes from more than 350 colleges and universities were named to the NABC Honors Court, which recognizes the talents and gifts that these men possess off the court and the hard work they exhibit in the classroom. Eligible candidates for the honor must be a varsity player who has spent at least one year at their current institution, reached junior academic standing and finished the 2012-13 academic year with a minimum of 3.20 cumulative GPA.
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.