SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (July 21, 2026) – The Western New England men's basketball team earned honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) this week, with the 2025-26 squad earning the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, while six student-athletes were named to the Honors Court. 

The NABC Team Academic Excellence Award recognizes men's basketball programs that completed the 2025-26 academic year with a team GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale. The NABC Honors Court recognizes juniors, seniors, or graduate students who finished the 2025-26 year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. More than 2,300 players earned a spot on the Honors Court this season, while over 400 programs received the Team Academic Excellence Award for 2025-26. 

Six members of the Western New England men's basketball team were named to the NABC Honors Court, including seniors Matt Houde, Nate Kasper, Cody Palazzesi, and Luka Vlajkovic, while juniors Will Laplante III and Zein Wahdan received honors. Western New England's four seniors earned honors for the second time in their respective careers. 

Houde played in 26 games for the Golden Bears this past season, making 25 starts. The Windsor Locks, Connecticut, native averaged a career-high 12.2 points per game, shooting over 43% for the season. Houde led WNE in minutes per game (32.4) this season while collecting 83 rebounds, a team-high-tying 95 assists, 30 steals, and a pair of blocks. Houde ends his two-and-a-half seasons as a Golden Bear with 596 career points, finishing the 2025-26 season with double-figure scoring in his final five games and 10 of his last 11 contests overall. 

Kasper was key to Western New England's run to the conference final this season, playing in 25 games, making 22 starts overall. Kasper averaged over 25 minutes and 8.4 points per game, the latter a career high. The Hopkinton, Massachusetts, native scored 210 points on the year, picked up 34 steals, the second-most on the team, while dishing 61 assists, grabbing 89 rebounds, and shooting over 44% from the field. 

Palazzesi competed in just three games for the Golden Bears this past season, making starts in each contest. The Somers, Connecticut, native dropped 13 points in the season opener against Springfield College (11/7) and followed up that performance with a 21-point outing in a home victory over Brandeis University (11/12). Palazzesi played an important role in the 2024-25 season, bringing a championship back to Springfield for the first time in 25 years, averaging 11.5 points per game. 

Vlajkovic led WNE in nearly every statistical category on the court this past season, helping guide the Golden Bears to a 21-6 record overall. Vlajkovic played in and started in all 27 games in his second season at WNE, averaging over 31 minutes per game. The Melrose, Massachusetts, native led Western New England in field goals made (147), field goals attempted (333), free throws made (86), free throws attempted (140), points scored (404), points per game (15.0), offensive rebounds (91), defensive rebounds (195), total rebounds (286), rebounds per game (10.6), assists (95), and blocks (18). 21 of Vlajkovic's 27 games came with double-figure scoring, including a career-high 24 points in the regular-season finale. Vlajkovic recorded 12 double-doubles for the Golden Bears during the season. 

Laplante saw action in 21 games for the Golden Bears this past season, making one start. Laplante splashed 27 triples for Western New England in 2025-26, accounting for 27 of his 41 total field goals made. The Plainville, Massachusetts, native scored 121 points for the season, a career high. Additionally, Laplante recorded 36 rebounds, 11 assists, 11 steals, and three blocks for the season. 

Wahdan played in 11 games for the Golden Bears in his first season in Blue and Gold, making nine starts. The transfer from Mercy University averaged 7.3 points per game, scoring 80 points overall, shooting nearly 60% from the field (32/54). Wahdan registered 31 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a pair of steals for the Golden Bears during the year and scored in double figures five times, including a 19-point outing in a conference victory over Johnson & Wales University. 

The announcement of these awards marks the third straight season in which WNE men's basketball has received the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award, while a total of 20 student-athletes have been recognized over the last three years on the NABC Honors Court. The Western New England men's basketball team will return to the court for the upcoming 2026-27 season, with a full schedule release set for the coming months.