KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The USF Men's Basketball program has achieved a prestigious double honor from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), earning both the 2024-25 NABC Team Academic Excellence Award and placing seven student-athletes on the NABC Honors Court.

Team Excellence Standard Met

The NABC Team Academic Excellence Award recognizes programs that maintain a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout the academic year. USF's achievement of this benchmark demonstrates the sustained commitment to academic rigor that has become a hallmark of the program.

The award places USF among nearly 400 programs nationwide that met this demanding standard, representing excellence across all divisions of college basketball.

"We're extremely proud of our players for the hard work, discipline, and commitment they've shown in the classroom," said head coach Chris Johnson. "This is a well-earned recognition that reflects the effort of our entire program."

Seven Cougars Earn Individual Honors

The NABC Honors Court celebrates the academic achievements of junior, senior, and graduate student-athletes who maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. USF's seven honorees showcase the program's depth of academic talent across diverse fields of study:

Adam Scherbakov – Psychology, Sr.
Creighton Morisch – Business Administration, Sr.
Jack Cartwright – Business Administration, Grad.
Jacob Taitte – Psychology, Jr.
Josh Baker – Sports Marketing & Media, Sr.
Kenji Scales – Graphic Design, Jr.
Kyle Ingwerson – Exercise Science, Jr.

National Recognition Context

This year's NABC academic honors reached unprecedented levels, with more than 2,400 student-athletes across all divisions earning Honors Court recognition. The scale of participation reflects the growing emphasis on academic achievement throughout 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."

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