KANSAS CITY, Mo. -
The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced today the 2019 NABC Give Back Team, recognizing 10 men's college basketball players for their outstanding community service efforts.
The 2019 NABC Give Back Team includes five student-athletes from NCAA Division I and five from NCAA Division II and III and the NAIA, selected from a group of 63 nominated by college coaches and sports information directors across the country.
Representing NCAA Division I are Sam Dowd of Idaho State University, JT Escobar of the University of North Florida, Aaron Jordan of the University of Illinois, Trey Phills of Yale University and Horace Spencer of Auburn University.
Representing NCAA Division II-III and the NAIA are Jordan Bonner of Wesleyan University, Daniel Burchette of North Greenville University, Savonte Chappell of Christopher Newport University, Brian Pearson of the University of Alaska-Anchorage and Kai Skinner of Westminster (PA) College.
"The NABC is proud to celebrate the 10 young men selected for this year's NABC Give Back Team in recognition of their exceptional selfless humanitarian acts," said NABC Executive Director Jim Haney. "These men's college basketball student-athletes have made significant contributions to assist those in need while helping lift the human spirit."
IUPUI graduate
D.J. McCall, who was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year this past season, participated in the Informatics Diversity-Enhanced Workforce Program (iDEW), mentoring high school students with an interest in technology. He also participated in the IUPUI Jags Reading Club and the on-campus Paws Pantry. The men's basketball program teamed with Team IMPACT this past season to add 9-year-old Cayden Baringer to the team. Baringer suffers from leukodystrophy and makes frequent trips to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for treatment. Baringer and his family were freqent attendees at IUPUI games last season, sitting directly behind the team bench.
On the court, McCall capped an impressive career in which he appeared in 125 games and made 97 starts for the Jaguars. He averaged a career-high 7.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game this past season and closed his career with 758 points, 568 rebounds, 212 assists and 129 steals. The Fort Wayne-native completed his undergraduate work in three years and his M.S. earlier this year.
Listed below are all of the nominees for the 2019 NABC Give Back Team:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| First Name |
Last Name |
Class |
Position |
College/University |
Hometown |
|
| Thomas |
Allen |
So. |
Guard |
University of Nebraska |
Raleigh |
NC |
| Malek |
Barber |
Sr. |
Forward |
Palm Beach Atlantic University |
North Port |
FL |
| Bray |
Barnes |
Sr. |
Guard |
CSU Bakersfield |
Bakersfield |
CA |
| Marcus |
Bartley |
Gr. |
Guard |
Southern Illinois |
Decatur |
IL |
| Myo |
Baxter-Bell |
Jr. |
Forward |
Liberty University |
Cincinnati |
OH |
| Connor |
Bennett |
Jr. |
Forward |
UMass Lowell |
Wilmington |
MA |
| Brennan |
Besser |
Sr. |
Guard |
Duke University |
Chicago |
IL |
| James |
Bolden |
Jr. |
Guard |
West Virginia University |
Covington |
KY |
| Jordan |
Bonner |
Sr. |
Guard |
Wesleyan University |
Houston |
TX |
| Josh |
Bowling |
Sr. |
Forward |
John Brown University |
Detroit |
MI |
| Daniel |
Burchette |
Sr. |
Guard |
North Greenville University |
Weaverville |
NC |
| Elijah |
Burns |
Sr. |
Forward |
University of Notre Dame |
Troy |
NY |
| Devontae |
Cacok |
Sr. |
Forward |
UNC Wilmington |
Riverdale |
GA |
| Savonte |
Chappell |
Jr. |
Forward |
Christopher Newport University |
Prince George |
VA |
| Booker |
Coplin |
Jr. |
Guard |
Augsburg University |
Shakopee |
MN |
| Jeremiah |
Culver |
Jr. |
Guard |
Wayland Baptist University |
Lubbock |
TX |
| Terence |
Davis |
Sr. |
Guard |
Ole Miss |
Southaven |
MS |
| Joshua |
Delaney |
Sr. |
Guard |
Sam Houston State University |
Harker Heights |
TX |
| Moustapha |
Diagne |
Jr. |
Forward |
Western Kentucky University |
Rufisque |
Senegal |
| Sam |
Dowd |
Sr. |
Guard |
Idaho State |
Seattle |
WA |
| Nathan |
Ekwu |
Sr. |
Forward |
Davidson College |
Enugu |
Nigeria |
| JT |
Escobar |
Jr. |
Guard |
University of North Florida |
Tallahassee |
FL |
| Tacko |
Fall |
Sr. |
Center |
University of Central Florida |
Dakar |
Senegal |
| Mike |
Fischer |
Sr. |
Guard |
Penn State Behrend |
Wexford |
PA |
| Trent |
Forrest |
Jr. |
Guard |
Florida State University |
Chipley |
FL |
| Jarrey |
Foster |
Sr. |
Guard |
SMU |
Houston |
TX |
| Donovan |
Gilmore |
Sr. |
Forward |
UNC Asheville |
Greensboro |
NC |
| Zach |
Glotta |
Sr. |
Guard |
Austin Peay State University |
O'Fallon |
MO |
| Chris |
Hildenbrand |
Jr. |
Guard |
Colorado Christian University |
Colorado Springs |
CO |
| Willie |
Jackson |
Jr. |
Forward |
University of Toledo |
Cleveland |
OH |
| Malik |
Jacobs |
Sr. |
Guard |
Urbana University |
Fairborn |
OH |
| Michael |
Jacobson |
Jr. |
Forward |
Iowa State University |
Waukee |
IA |
| Jordan |
Jenkins |
Gr. |
Forward |
Willamette University |
Placentia |
CA |
| AJ |
John |
Sr. |
Forward |
UC Davis |
Santa Rosa |
CA |
| Aaron |
Jordan |
Sr. |
Guard |
University of Illinois |
Plainfield |
IL |
| Dedric |
Lawson |
Jr. |
Forward |
University of Kansas |
Memphis |
TN |
| Keldrick |
Lesure |
Jr. |
Guard |
University of Arkansas Monticello |
Indianapolis |
IN |
| Divonte |
Lumpkin |
Sr. |
Guard |
Texas Southern University |
Chicago |
IL |
| Dre |
Marin |
So. |
Guard |
Southern Utah University |
Phoenix |
AZ |
| Seth |
Mattson |
Sr. |
Guard |
LeTourneau University |
Kingwood |
TX |
| D.J. |
McCall |
Sr. |
Guard |
IUPUI |
Fort Wayne |
IN |
| Johnny |
McCants |
So. |
Forward |
New Mexico State University |
Las Cruces |
NM |
| Jaylen |
McCoy |
Sr. |
Guard |
SIU - Edwardsville |
Montgomery |
AL |
| Brandon |
McKissic |
So. |
Guard |
UMKC |
Ferguson |
MO |
| Nick |
Mora |
Jr. |
Guard |
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley |
Weslaco |
TX |
| Trey |
Moses |
Sr. |
Center |
Ball State University |
Louisville |
KY |
| Erich |
Naumann |
So. |
Forward |
College of Mount Saint Vincent |
Queens |
NY |
| Brian |
Pearson |
Sr. |
Forward |
University of Alaska Anchorage |
Elko |
NV |
| Trey |
Phills |
Sr, |
Guard |
Yale University |
Charlotte |
NC |
| Nate |
Renfro |
Sr. |
Forward |
University of San Francisco |
Tucson |
AZ |
| Emondre |
Rickman |
Sr. |
Center |
Indiana State |
Collinsville |
IL |
| Matt |
Rose |
Sr. |
Forward |
Lipscomb University |
Lexington |
KY |
| Tyler |
Seibring |
Sr. |
Forward |
Elon University |
Normal |
IL |
| Chris |
Silva |
Sr. |
Forward |
University of South Carolina |
Libreville |
Gabon |
| Kai |
Skinner |
So. |
Guard |
Westminster College (PA) |
Titusville |
PA |
| Horace |
Spencer |
Sr. |
Forward |
Auburn University |
Philadelphia |
PA |
| Ilija |
Stojiljkovic |
Sr. |
Forward |
University of Maine |
Nis |
Serbia |
| Jaylen |
Stowe |
Sr. |
Guard |
Mercer University |
Harrisburg |
NC |
| Alex |
Thomas |
Sr. |
Forward |
Towson University |
Hawthorne |
NJ |
| Toby |
Van Ry |
Gr. |
Center |
University of Texas at San Antonio |
Fort Collins |
CO |
| Grant |
Williams |
Jr. |
Forward |
University of Tennessee |
Charlotte |
NC |
| Dylan |
Windler |
Sr. |
Guard |
Belmont University |
Indianapolis |
IN |
| Justin |
Wright-Foreman |
Sr. |
Guard |
Hofstra University |
Queens |
NY |
About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "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. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at
www.nabc.org.
