HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Coker College men's basketball team recently received the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award for the 2013-2014 academic year.

"Winning this award is truly an honor," said men's head coach Dan Schmotzer "We always strive to be successful in the classroom and on the court, and receiving this award is a testament of the hard work and dedication these guys are putting in everyday. I am extremely proud of my guys and their academic achievements."

In order to qualify for the team academic award, a program must have a team grade-point average of 3.0 or higher during the academic year.

A total of 125 college men's basketball teams posted a team GPA of 3.0 or higher during the 2013-2014 academic year. Coker is one of just two South Atlantic Conference teams to earn the Team Academic Excellence Award this season.

This is the third national academic award the Cobra men's basketball team received for the 2013-14 academic year. Jonathon Gardner, Gabriel Mens and Eren Moses were named to the NABC Honor Court last week, and Garnder was named to the Capital One Academic All-District first team.

About the NABC

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.