Eastern Michigan Athletics
Three Eagles Earn Academic All-MAC Status
4/5/2017 12:41:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Blake Brown, Nick Madray and James Thompson IV each earned the honor
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday, April 5, that three Eastern Michigan University's men's basketball student-athletes earned Academic All-MAC honors. Redshirt sophomore Blake Brown (Novi, Mich.-Novi (UNLV)), redshirt junior Nick Madray (Mississauga, Ontario-Stephen Lewis (Binghamton)), and sophomore James Thompson IV (Baton Rouge, La.-Parkview Baptist) were honored as members of the 2017 Academic All-MAC team as student-athletes who excel both on the court and in the classroom.
Toledo led all teams in the conference with four selections followed by Eastern Michigan's three. Central Michigan and Western Michigan each had two honored, while Akron, Ball State, Buffalo, Miami, Northern Illinois, and Ohio each had one student-athlete on the Academic All-MAC Team.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
Brown appeared in 19 games, posting 0.6 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. He posted a career best seven rebounds in 11 minutes versus Marygrove, Dec. 22, 2016. The Novi, Mich. native is an electronic media and film major with a 3.20 grade point average.
Madray appeared in all 33 games, making 11 starts for EMU. The redshirt junior averaged 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Madray shot 44.4 percent from the floor, averaging nearly 14 minutes played per game. The Mississauga, Ontario native owns a 3.70 grade point average as a sport management major.
Thompson earned All-MAC Second Team honors to go along with Second Team National Association of Basketball Coaches District 14 honors. Additionally, he was named MAC West Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 28 and was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List, as well as the All-MAC West Division Preseseason Team. The Baton Rouge, La. native appeared in 32 games, starting each of them. He was one of three student-athletes in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double with 14.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Thompson led the Eagles in rebounding and field goal percentage, 57.4 percent, which ranked second in the MAC. The sophomore finished the year ranking second in the NCAA with 4.75 offensive rebounds per contest and he corralled 358 rebounds this year, which is the third-most in a single season in EMU history. In addition, Thompson recorded 20 double-doubles, which was the third-most in the conference, giving him 39 in his career. His 39 career double-doubles ranks tied for third all-time at Eastern Michigan. Thompson is a biology major who boasts a 3.22 grade point average.
2016-17 MAC Men's Basketball Academic All-MAC Team
Blake Brown, Eastern Michigan, R-Sophomore, Electronic Media and Film, 3.20 GPA
Nick Madray, Eastern Michigan, R-Junior, Sport Management, 3.70 GPA
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, Biology, 3.22 GPA
Josh Williams, Akron, Sophomore, Sports Management, 3.268 GPA
Sean Sellers, Ball State, Junior, Sport Administration, 3.567 GPA
Nikola Rakicevic, Buffalo, Sophomore, Management, 3.720 GPA
Blake Hibbits, Central Michigan, Graduate, Masters of Business Administration, 3.83 GPA
Luke Meyer, Central Michigan, Junior, Product Design Engineering Technology, 3.26 GPA
Jake Wright, Miami, Junior, Sport Leadership and Management, 3.20 GPA
Austin Pauga, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering, 3.782 GPA
Gavin Block, Ohio, Sophomore, Communication Studies, 3.276 GPA
Jordan Lauf, Toledo, Senior, Business Management, 3.310 GPA
Jean Sanford, Toledo, Sophomore, Management, 3.129 GPA
Nate Navigato, Toledo, Sophomore, Business, 3.373 GPA
Luke Knapke, Toledo, R-Freshman, Accounting, 3.694 GPA
Seth Dugan, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Finance, 3.94 GPA
Bryce Moore, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Business, 3.37 GPA
Toledo led all teams in the conference with four selections followed by Eastern Michigan's three. Central Michigan and Western Michigan each had two honored, while Akron, Ball State, Buffalo, Miami, Northern Illinois, and Ohio each had one student-athlete on the Academic All-MAC Team.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
Brown appeared in 19 games, posting 0.6 points and 1.1 rebounds per game. He posted a career best seven rebounds in 11 minutes versus Marygrove, Dec. 22, 2016. The Novi, Mich. native is an electronic media and film major with a 3.20 grade point average.
Madray appeared in all 33 games, making 11 starts for EMU. The redshirt junior averaged 2.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. Madray shot 44.4 percent from the floor, averaging nearly 14 minutes played per game. The Mississauga, Ontario native owns a 3.70 grade point average as a sport management major.
Thompson earned All-MAC Second Team honors to go along with Second Team National Association of Basketball Coaches District 14 honors. Additionally, he was named MAC West Player of the Week for the period ending Nov. 28 and was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List, as well as the All-MAC West Division Preseseason Team. The Baton Rouge, La. native appeared in 32 games, starting each of them. He was one of three student-athletes in the Mid-American Conference to average a double-double with 14.8 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. Thompson led the Eagles in rebounding and field goal percentage, 57.4 percent, which ranked second in the MAC. The sophomore finished the year ranking second in the NCAA with 4.75 offensive rebounds per contest and he corralled 358 rebounds this year, which is the third-most in a single season in EMU history. In addition, Thompson recorded 20 double-doubles, which was the third-most in the conference, giving him 39 in his career. His 39 career double-doubles ranks tied for third all-time at Eastern Michigan. Thompson is a biology major who boasts a 3.22 grade point average.
2016-17 MAC Men's Basketball Academic All-MAC Team
Blake Brown, Eastern Michigan, R-Sophomore, Electronic Media and Film, 3.20 GPA
Nick Madray, Eastern Michigan, R-Junior, Sport Management, 3.70 GPA
James Thompson IV, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, Biology, 3.22 GPA
Josh Williams, Akron, Sophomore, Sports Management, 3.268 GPA
Sean Sellers, Ball State, Junior, Sport Administration, 3.567 GPA
Nikola Rakicevic, Buffalo, Sophomore, Management, 3.720 GPA
Blake Hibbits, Central Michigan, Graduate, Masters of Business Administration, 3.83 GPA
Luke Meyer, Central Michigan, Junior, Product Design Engineering Technology, 3.26 GPA
Jake Wright, Miami, Junior, Sport Leadership and Management, 3.20 GPA
Austin Pauga, Northern Illinois, Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering, 3.782 GPA
Gavin Block, Ohio, Sophomore, Communication Studies, 3.276 GPA
Jordan Lauf, Toledo, Senior, Business Management, 3.310 GPA
Jean Sanford, Toledo, Sophomore, Management, 3.129 GPA
Nate Navigato, Toledo, Sophomore, Business, 3.373 GPA
Luke Knapke, Toledo, R-Freshman, Accounting, 3.694 GPA
Seth Dugan, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Finance, 3.94 GPA
Bryce Moore, Western Michigan, Sophomore, Business, 3.37 GPA
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