ECU Earns NABC Team Academic Excellence Award

GREENVILLE, N.C. —The East Carolina men's basketball team was recognized for its terrific work in the classroom as the Pirates earned the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award for 2020-21. This award recognizes outstanding academic achievement by a team with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better for the 2020-21 season.

ECU compiled a 3.13 grade point average during the 2020-21 academic year to receive the award for the second time in the past three seasons. It was one of three American Athletic Conference institutions (Temple, Tulane) to earn the merit.

The award capped another strong academic year for ECU as a program established records for student-athletes on The American All-Academic Team (11) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court (4).

Over the past three years, the Pirates have had 24 players named to The American All-Academic Team and eight to the NABC Honors Court.

Four players – Bitumba Baruti, Tyrie Jackson, Ian Jones and Edra Luster – earned their bachelor's degrees from ECU in May, while Evan Umstead completed his undergraduate degree requirements in December.

Players Mentioned

Bitumba Baruti

Tyrie Jackson

Ian Jones

Edra Luster

Evan Umstead

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