HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Wednesday afternoon the Horizon League office announced that Northern Kentucky men's basketball player Drew McDonald was named to the five-man all-academic team, giving the sophomore a second league honor in as many days.
 
NKU's starting forward boasts a 3.36 GPA as a marketing major. McDonald is also a member of Northern Kentucky's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has already volunteered 13.5 hours in the community this year.
 
McDonald has had quite a sensational sophomore season, scoring 16.5 points per game and grabbing a team-best 7.6 rebounds an outing. He recorded 10 double-doubles, was named Horizon League Player of the Week three times and garnered Tarkett Sports Classic All-Tournament Team accolades during the campaign. He was also named to the all-Horizon League first team on Tuesday.
 
The Cold Spring, Kentucky (Newport Central Catholic) native is a key component to NKU's success this season. He helped the Norse to a Division I-era record 21 wins and third-place finish in the Horizon League. Northern Kentucky has also reached No. 100 in the RPI, marking the highest-ever ranking for the Norse.
 
McDonald joins Valparaiso's Horizon League Player of the Year Alec Peters on the team, as the duo are the only two players to earn all-league honors and all-academic team accolades. Milwaukee's Brett Prahl, Oakland's Sherron Dorsey-Walker and Youngstown State's Matt Donlan round out the all-academic team.
 
Northern Kentucky earned the No. 4 seed in the 2017 Little Caesar's Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship and will face No. 5-seed Wright State at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 5, in Detroit's historic Joe Louis Arena.