Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) men’s basketball team learned on Wednesday that graduate student forward Marek Nelson is part of the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AAA ADA) 20th Annual Scholar-Athlete Team, presented by ARMS Software.
Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious annual awards. Each of the nominees is required to maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.2 on 4.0 scale and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. Nominees must have participated in at least 50% of the team’s games. To be eligible for nomination to the Scholar-Athlete Team, individuals must have reached junior academic standing at their respective institution.
Nelson has racked up the academic awards both throughout his career as a regular honoree for Academic All-Western Athletic Conference (twice) and AD Honor Roll (five times). Additionally, Nelson was also named to the 2021-22 Academic All-District® Men’s Basketball First Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, in February.
Nelson graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance during the summer of 2021. He is currently working toward a Master of Business Administration in Marketing.
On the court this year, Nelson averaged 10.4 points on 47.5% shooting, 4.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals in 29 games (20 starts).
Nelson is one of 12 men’s basketball honorees from the 98 NCAA DI-AAA institutions, along with Max Abmas(Oral Roberts), Alphonso Anderson (Pacific), Rasir Bolton (Gonzaga), Tareq Coburn (St. John’s), Caleb Green(Fairfield), Ryan Hawkins (Creighton), Gibson Jimerson (Saint Louis), Mike Okauru (UNC Wilmington), Khalil Shabazz (San Francisco), Luke Smith (Belmont), and Fred Thatch Jr. (Saint Louis).
