SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Drury men's basketball standouts Zach Howell and Luke Stubbs have been selected for 2025-26 Academic All-District^® honors by the College Sports Communicators (CSC), the organization announced Tuesday. The CSC annually recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom as part of its Academic All-America^® program.

Howell, Drury's leading scorer with his 17.6 ppg., average, led the Great Lakes Valley Conference in three-point field goals made (99) and three-point percentage (.440), while ranking fourth in overall scoring (547) in the circuit this season. The Springfield native completed his junior campaign with a memorable three-game stretch at the GLVC Championship in St. Louis, where he averaged 19.0 points and 6.7 rebounds to earn all-tournament honors while leading the Panthers to the title game. In the process, Howell became the first Panther since 2019-20 to top the 500-point plateau in a season and also reached the 1,000-point mark for his collegiate career during DU's tournament run. In addition, he ranked among the GLVC's top 10 players in field goals made (169), field goal percentage (.469), free throws made (110), free throw percentage (.853) and minutes per game (34.0) this season. 

Howell, who is on pace to graduate with his undergraduate degree in integrated business from Drury in May, is now a two-time CSC Academic All-District^® honoree after earning the same citation in 2024-25.

Stubbs earned his first career Academic All-District^® honor after turning in his best season as a Panther in 2025-26. The junior from Kansas City produced career-best totals for points (282), assists (47) and steals (36) while starting 28 games for the Panthers. He recorded 14 double-figure scoring performances, including a career-high 22-point effort to help the Panthers lock up a GLVC Tournament berth in their win over Missouri S&T in the regular-season finale. A two-time Academic All-GLVC selection and 2025-26 GLVC Sportsmanship Team honoree, Stubbs is expected to complete his undergraduate degree in exercise physiology from Drury in May.

Nominees for Academic All-District^® honors must maintain a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average and play in 90 percent of the team's games during the season. Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America^® finalists -- including Howell -- will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First, second and third-team Academic All-America^® honorees will be announced April 14.

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