KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NABC has announced the recipients of the 2025-26 NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards and NABC Honors Court, representing achievement in the classroom by men's college basketball teams and individual players.
 
The University of Pikeville was one of more than 400 programs across all levels of college basketball to be honored. It also had eight individuals who were recognized.
 
The NABC Team Academic Excellence Awards recognize programs that completed the 2025-26 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 2025-26 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.
 
"College basketball student-athletes do incredible things on the court, but their achievements in the classroom are equally worthy of celebration," said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson.
 
"Education is one of the NABC's core values, and the hundreds of programs and thousands of athletes represented on these awards reinforce the commitment to academic success that exists across all levels of our sport."
 
Those representing UPike on the list include:
 

• Aden Barnett, a junior from Salyersville, who majors in business administration
• Jace Copley, a junior from McDermott, Ohio, majoring in biomedical sciences
• Justin Sapoi, a junior from Auckland, New Zealand, who majors in business administration
• Keian Worrix, a senior from Pikeville, majoring in business administration
• Keynan Cutlip, a senior from Johnson City, Tenn., who majored in business administration
• Robby Todd, a junior from Richmond, who majors in business administration
• RyleeSamons, a junior from Pikeville, majoring in business administration, and,
• Zane Whitaker, a sophomore from Salyersville, who majors in biology.

 
In addition to the 400 programs, more than 2,300 players earned spots on the NABC Honors Court.