Florida Tech Men’s Basketball Earns National Association of Basketball Coaches Academic Excellence Award

panthers finished the 2021-22 academic year with a 3.19 team GPA

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The Florida Tech men’s basketball team earned the 2021-22 NABC Team Academic Excellence Award when the National Association of Basketball Coaches announced its 2022-22 NABC Honors Court on Tuesday.

In addition, six Panthers were named to the NABC Honors Court for their work in the classroom. Recent graduates Ameer Bennett and George Nehma the honor in addition to current students Elias Martin, Niall Harris, Sean Houpt, and Stephen Merritt.

Florida Tech finished the 2021-22 academic year with a team GPA of 3.19. To earn the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, institutions must count the GPAs of all scholar-athletes on the roster.

The NABC Honors Court highlights the talents and gifts that these men possess on the court and the hard work they exhibit in the classroom.

To be named to the Honors Court, a student-athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria. The qualifications are as follows:

■ Academically a junior or senior and a varsity player.

■ Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher after the 2021-22 academic year.

■ Students must have matriculated for at least one year at their current institution.

■ Member of an NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Division I institution with an NABC member coach.

“At Florida Tech, we strive for success in three areas known as the three C’s – success on the court, throughout the community, and in the classroom”, said head coach Billy Mims. “Today’s announcement from the NABC shows our programs strong commitment to one of those, academic excellence.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work displayed in the classroom by all of our players that led to our inclusion as a recipient of the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, but especially those honored today as members of the 2021-22 NABC Honors Court.”

Bennett, a senior who graduated in Spring 2022, held a 3.66 GPA as a Forensic Accounting major. The Richmond, Va. product played in 23 games averaging two points, 1.7 rebounds, and two assists.

Earning his second NABC Honors Court recognition, Nehma earned his degree in Aeronautical Engineering in the Spring of 2022 with a 4.0 GPA. Nehma appeared in 15 games recording 11 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, one block, and one steal.

Martin, an Engineering major, holds a 3.27 GPA. Martin appeared in 20 games during the 2021-22 campaign, averaging two points, two rebounds, 0.4 assists, and 0.7 blocks.

Harris holds a 3.90 GPA in Aerospace Engineering. The Leicester, England native played in 22 games averaging 9.9 points, 2.9 blocks, 2.0 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game.

He recorded three double-doubles during the 2021-22 season and posted a season-high 26 points at Saint Leo on Jan. 22.

Houpt, a Sport Management major holds a 3.52 GPA. Houpt appeared in every game averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game. The Danville, Ill. native set a career-high 32 points against Rollins on Dec. 4.

Merritt, an Electrical Engineering major, holds a 3.37 GPA. The Merritt Island, Fla. product appeared in eight games recording seven points, six rebounds, four assists, and one block.

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