Willamette Men's Basketball Earns NABC Team Academic Excellence Award

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University men's basketball team has received the Team Academic Excellence Award from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) for the 2014-15 season. More than 175 colleges and universities throughout the NCAA and the NAIA qualified for the award.

In order to claim the Team Academic Excellence Award each team had to achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 during the 2014-15 academic year.

"We tell recruits that when you choose Bearcat Hoop, you are vowing to compete on the court and in the classroom," Willamette Head Coach Kip Ioane said. "This award is a testament to our guys' commitment to meeting those expectations."

Willamette competes in NCAA Division III and is a member of the Northwest Conference. The Bearcats went 8-6 in the final 14 games of the regular season and qualified for the four-team NWC Tournament with an 8-8 conference record. Willamette lost to NWC regular season champion Whitworth University in the semifinals of the NWC Tournament and finished the season with a 10-16 overall mark.

The Bearcats went 6-5 at home in Cone Field House, including 5-3 in conference games. WU downed Pacific 70-63 on the final day of the regular season at Cone Field House to secure the fourth and final berth into the NWC Tournament.