Bannan 1 of 15 players nationally to be named Academic All-American
3/15/2022 9:58:00 AM | Men's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas – Montana forward Josh Bannan earned one of the nation's top academic honors on Tuesday, being named to the 2021-22 Academic All-America Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Bannan is one of 15 Division-I players nationally selected to one of the three Academic All-America teams, and the only sophomore among the group. The honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.
He is the second Grizzly under head coach Travis DeCuire to earn Academic All-America status and the eighth in program history to do so, joining: Craig Zanon (1980, 1981); Larry Krystkowiak (1985, 1986); Scott Zanon (1987); Jeremy Lake (1995); Matt Williams (2000); Mathias Ward (2013); and Jordan Gregory (2015).
Bannan is a business economics major with a current grade-point average of 3.91.
Initially, Bannan was quick to credit his parents, Chris and Tracey, for his interest in learning, saying they instilled the importance of school into him at a young age. As he grew older, though, he grew to also enjoy learning.
"I really came to enjoy school and found classes I became passionate about," Bannan said.
One of those subjects was economics, a class he first took as a junior and continued through his senior year of high school in Australia.
"I like the analytical side to it," he said. "I find it very interesting using a lot of economic models to analyze why things are the way they are. It also incorporates maths, which is something I've always enjoyed."
Education also intersects with athletics, helping drive Bannan even further.
"Part of it is how competitive I am," Bannan said. "I don't like to see myself do poor in classes, because in a way, it's like losing."
So just like his competitiveness fuels him on the court, it does in the classroom as well.
On the court, Bannan was Montana's top all-around player in 2021-22, earning All-Big Sky Conference honors. He was the only player in the Big Sky to average at least 17.0 points (seventh) and 8.0 rebounds (second) in league play, also shooting above 50 percent from the floor (second).
Bannan's collegiate career is just getting going, but once he graduates, he would like to continue playing basketball before getting into coaching. Eventually, he said, he has interest in actuarial science – the practice of using statistical methods to evaluate risks and maintain economic stability – because it involves problem solving and combines his passions for mathematics and economics.
Among those who were named to an Academic All-America Team in 2021-22 are:
First Team
Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse)
Tanner Groves (Oklahoma)
Hunt Schofield (Dixie State)
JT Schumate (Toledo)
Ben Vander Plas (Ohio)
Second Team
Antoine Davis (Detroit Mercy)
Matt Dentlinger (South Dakota State)
AJ Green (Northern Iowa)
Gibson Jimerson (Saint Louis)
Kahliel Spear (Robert Morris)
Third Team
Josh Bannan (Montana)
Justin Bean (Utah State)
Rocky Kreuser (North Dakota State)
Chris Ledlum (Harvard)
Luke Smith (Belmont)
About the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Program
CoSIDA began the distinguished Academic All-America® program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America® scholar-athlete honors. The Academic All-America® program is comprised of divisional teams for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
The Academic All-America® Hall of Fame was established in 1988 with the first class consisting of Bill Bradley, Pete Dawkins, Pat Haden, Tom McMillen, Donn Moomaw and Merlin Olsen.
Both the Academic All-America® program and the Hall of Fame are nominated and voted upon exclusively by members of CoSIDA.
Bannan is one of 15 Division-I players nationally selected to one of the three Academic All-America teams, and the only sophomore among the group. The honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.
He is the second Grizzly under head coach Travis DeCuire to earn Academic All-America status and the eighth in program history to do so, joining: Craig Zanon (1980, 1981); Larry Krystkowiak (1985, 1986); Scott Zanon (1987); Jeremy Lake (1995); Matt Williams (2000); Mathias Ward (2013); and Jordan Gregory (2015).
Bannan is a business economics major with a current grade-point average of 3.91.
Initially, Bannan was quick to credit his parents, Chris and Tracey, for his interest in learning, saying they instilled the importance of school into him at a young age. As he grew older, though, he grew to also enjoy learning.
"I really came to enjoy school and found classes I became passionate about," Bannan said.
One of those subjects was economics, a class he first took as a junior and continued through his senior year of high school in Australia.
"I like the analytical side to it," he said. "I find it very interesting using a lot of economic models to analyze why things are the way they are. It also incorporates maths, which is something I've always enjoyed."
Education also intersects with athletics, helping drive Bannan even further.
"Part of it is how competitive I am," Bannan said. "I don't like to see myself do poor in classes, because in a way, it's like losing."
So just like his competitiveness fuels him on the court, it does in the classroom as well.
On the court, Bannan was Montana's top all-around player in 2021-22, earning All-Big Sky Conference honors. He was the only player in the Big Sky to average at least 17.0 points (seventh) and 8.0 rebounds (second) in league play, also shooting above 50 percent from the floor (second).
Bannan's collegiate career is just getting going, but once he graduates, he would like to continue playing basketball before getting into coaching. Eventually, he said, he has interest in actuarial science – the practice of using statistical methods to evaluate risks and maintain economic stability – because it involves problem solving and combines his passions for mathematics and economics.
Among those who were named to an Academic All-America Team in 2021-22 are:
First Team
Jimmy Boeheim (Syracuse)
Tanner Groves (Oklahoma)
Hunt Schofield (Dixie State)
JT Schumate (Toledo)
Ben Vander Plas (Ohio)
Second Team
Antoine Davis (Detroit Mercy)
Matt Dentlinger (South Dakota State)
AJ Green (Northern Iowa)
Gibson Jimerson (Saint Louis)
Kahliel Spear (Robert Morris)
Third Team
Josh Bannan (Montana)
Justin Bean (Utah State)
Rocky Kreuser (North Dakota State)
Chris Ledlum (Harvard)
Luke Smith (Belmont)
About the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Program
CoSIDA began the distinguished Academic All-America® program in 1952, and since then, has honored thousands of deserving student-athletes from numerous sports across all divisions with these elite Academic All-America® scholar-athlete honors. The Academic All-America® program is comprised of divisional teams for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
The Academic All-America® Hall of Fame was established in 1988 with the first class consisting of Bill Bradley, Pete Dawkins, Pat Haden, Tom McMillen, Donn Moomaw and Merlin Olsen.
Both the Academic All-America® program and the Hall of Fame are nominated and voted upon exclusively by members of CoSIDA.
Players Mentioned
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