KANSAS CITY, Mo. – For the second straight year in the two-year tenure of head coach Duane Simpkins, the American University men's basketball team has been named as a recipient of the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award. Five Eagles were named to the NABC Honors Court, including second-time recipients Lincoln Ball and Mason Whittaker.
 
The NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards recognizes men's basketball programs that completed the 2024-25 academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. The NABC Honors Court, meanwhile, includes junior, senior and graduate student men's basketball players who finished the 2024-25 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher.

In addition to Ball and Whittaker, the Eagles earning NABC Honors Court distinction were Adam Holod, Noah Jones, and Adrian Samuels.
 
"We take a lot of pride in developing our players on and off the court," said Simpkins. "This recognition reflects the character and work ethic of the young men in our program. Our guys understand that success in the classroom is just as important as what we do in games, and I'm proud of the way they continue to embrace that standard." 
 
"Education is one of the NABC's five core values, and we are proud to recognize the academic accomplishments of these programs and individual student-athletes across our sport," said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. "The dedication and hard work of these athletes, along with their coaches and support staff members who prioritize academic success, deserves to be widely celebrated."
 
For the latest on American University Men's Basketball, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on X (formerly Twitter) (@AU_MBasketball), Facebook (/AU.MBasketball) and Instagram (@au_mbasketball).

NABC Release