3 Iowa Basketball Players Named To NABC Honors Court

Connor McCaffery, Nunge and Bear receive academic awards.

Three Iowa men's basketball players were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court for the 2019-20 season.

Michael Baer, Connor McCaffery, and Jack Nunge received the distinction that recognizes college basketball student-athletes who excelled in academics during the season.

To be named to the Honors Court, a student-athlete must be an upperclassman academically, and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher.

McCaffery, a finance major, started all 31 games and led the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (4.6) as a redshirt sophomore this past season. McCaffery, the son of coach Fran McCaffery, played four different positions, helping lead the Hawkeyes to a 20-11 season.

McCaffery played in 34 games in the 2019-19 season, finishing second on the team in assists.

McCaffery, who also is a member of Iowa's baseball team, was named the university's Male Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree, and earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, Academic All-District First Team and Academic All-Big Ten recognition in 2020. He was an Academic All-Big Ten pick in 2019 as well.

Nunge, an accounting major, averaged 6 points and 4.6 rebounds through the first five games of last season before suffering a season-ending ACL injury. Nunge, a native of Newburgh, Indiana, was also recognized on the Academic All-Big Ten team.

Baer, a business management major who is a walk-on to the basketball team, helps led the scout team in practice. Baer, a native of Bettendorf, Iowa, is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree.