FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302

NABC Press Release

July 12, 2012 - North Central College men's basketball players Kevin Gillespie and Vince Kmiec have been honored with selections to the National Association of Basketball Coaches' (NABC) Honors Court for the 2011-2012 season in recognition of excellence in academics.

The Honors Court consists of varsity student-athletes who have maintained at least a 3.2 grade-point average after at least two years of study. A total of 429 men's collegiate basketball players qualified for inclusion. Gillespie and Kmiec were among 162 NCAA Division III players to be so honored.

Gillespie completed a four-year playing career for the Cardinals this past season, starting 29 of the team's 30 games and averaging 8.7 points and 3.2 assists per game. He led the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) in minutes played (36.8 per game), while ranking third in three-point percentage (.449) and sixth in assists. He graduated in June with a bachelor's degree in finance.

Kmiec, a physical education major who is preparing to enter his junior year at North Central, started 22 games in 2011-2012, including the final 19 contests of the season. He averaged 6.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while ranking seventh in the CCIW in steals per game (1.3) and ranking third on the team with 40 made three-pointers.

Gillespie and Kmiec represented two-thirds of the CCIW's representatives on the Honors Court, joining Wheaton College junior Chase Almen.

The Cardinals finished the 2011-2012 campaign with an overall record of 22-8, winning the CCIW regular-season and tournament championships and advancing the round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship. North Central opens the 2012-2013 campaign Nov. 16-17 when it hosts the Courtyard Chicago Naperville TIp-Off Tournament.