KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Riley Hunley is one of five OVC players from the 2011-12 season to be named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court, which recognizes those collegiate basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the 2011-12 season. It is the second consecutive honor for Hunley.

The NABC Honors Court recognizes the talents and gifts that these men possess off the court, and the hard work they exhibit in the classroom. In order to be named to the Honors Court, an athlete must meet a high standard of academic criteria. The qualifications are as follows: (1) Academically a junior or senior and a varsity player; (2) Cumulative G.P.A. of 3.2 or higher at the conclusion of the 2011-12 academic year; (3) Students must have matriculated at least one year at their current institution; (4) Member of an NCAA Division I, II, III, or NAIA Institution.

Hunley, a four-year letterwinner at Tech, has appeared on the Athletic Director’s honor roll in each of his eight semesters at Tech. He amassed the team’s highest cumulative GPA every season from 2009-2011 and earned the team’s academic award following the 2008-09 season.

A May 2012 graduate, Hunley majored in engineering at Tech.

“We’re proud of have Riley representing Tennessee Tech on the Honor’s Court,” Golden Eagle head coach Steve Payne said. “Academics is always a priority for us, and Riley has consistently gone above and beyond in the classroom.

“He’s a tremendous role model for his teammates, especially off the court, and has set a high bar for the academic standards that we look for from incoming players.”

One player from each of the following OVC schools joins Hunley on the Honor’s Court: Eastern Illinois, Morehead State, Southeast Missouri and Tennessee State. The conference’s newest affiliate, Belmont, had four players appear on the Court.

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. For additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, go to www.nabc.org.

OVC Student-Athletes Named to NABC Honors Court
Drew Hanlen, Belmont
Mick Hedgepeth, Belmont
Scott Saunders, Belmont
Adam Barnes, Belmont
Nick McFarlin, Eastern Illinois
Ty Proffitt, Morehead State
Nick Niemczyk, Southeast Missouri
Chris Conner, Tennessee State
Riley Hunley, Tennessee Tech