The University of Minnesota Crookston men’s basketball team was named a recipient of the 2024-25 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award. Additionally, Ben Hoverson (Grand Forks, N.D.), Reid Grant (Johnston, Iowa), and Pedro Rossi (Bahia Blanca, Argentina) were named to the NABC Honors Court for consecutive seasons. The Golden Eagles also received the 2023-24 NABC Team Academic Excellence Award.
The NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards recognize 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.
The NABC’s academic awards are presented annually to teams and athletes from all levels of college basketball.
“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.”
Over 2,400 players earned spots on the NABC Honors Court and nearly 400 programs received NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards for 2024-25. A full list of Honors Court recipients is available by clicking here, and the following programs earned Team Academic Excellence Awards:
Hoverson, Grant, and Rossi all graduated with degrees from the U of M Crookston in Spring 2025. Grant graduated with a degree in applied studies. Hoverson had a degree in exercise science and wellness. Rossi had degrees in international business, and management. Grant finished his collegiate career with a 3.60 GPA, Hoverson notched a 3.90, while Rossi had a 3.47.