NABC Release

DETROIT (7/17/13) – Four University of Detroit Mercy men's basketball student-athletes were named to the 2012-13 NABC Honors Court, announced Wednesday by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Former Titan All-American Ray McCallum along with seniors Evan Bruinsma, Ugochukwu Njoku and Olumide Solanke were all named to the NABC Honors Court.

The NABC Honors Court recognizes collegiate basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the 2012-13 season. Both McCallum and Bruinsma were also named to the 2012-13 Horizon League Academic Honor Roll.

McCallum was drafted 36th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2013 NBA Draft, after majoring in communications studies for three years at UDM. Bruinsma, Njoku and Solanke are all returning for their senior seasons.

Bruinsma, a 6-8, 214-pound forward from New Era, Mich., is a business administration major who played in 32 of 33 games for the Titans last season, starting the final six. He finished the season averaging 5.6 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 52 percent from the field. Bruinsma recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, off the bench, in a win over Valparaiso. He also recorded a season-high 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting against Youngstown State. Bruinsma was awarded the Dave DeBusschere Most Improved Award and the William Ebben Academic and Athletic Excellence accolade at the end of the year banquet.

Njoku, a 6-10, 220-pound center from Lagos, Nigeria is a software engineer major, who earned the Frank R. Gerbig, Sr. Sportsmanship Award at the end of the year banquet and was a member of the Detroit Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Solanke, a 6-11, 244-pound center from Lagos, Nigeria is an economics major, who was a member of the Detroit Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

In order to be named to the Honors Court, a student-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 2012-13 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 Division I or II institution.