Anderson High School (AHS) senior Spencer Proctor was named to the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association (ISBA) first-team Academic All-State team. He joins a list of 37 other high school boys basketball players from across the state of Indiana.
“Congratulations to Spencer Proctor on being selected to the Indiana Basketball academic 1st team all state!,” said Donnie Bowling, head coach of the AHS boys basketball team. “He has proven himself to be not only a talented athlete but also a dedicated student. His hard work and commitment to both his studies and basketball have truly paid off. This recognition is a testament to his exceptional skills on the court and in the classroom. Spencer's achievements are a source of inspiration for all aspiring student-athletes.”
Proctor was a starter on the AHS boys basketball team who finished the 2023-2024 season with a 18-6 (7-1) record. He has a 4.927 GPA and currently ranks 1st in the 2024 senior class at AHS. He plans to attend Purdue University in the fall and study Engineering.
The IBCA Academic All-State program is one where academic prowess and athletic prowess both are considered in the selections. Items such as grade-point average, academic class rank and SAT or ACT scores are considered along with athletic performance in areas such as points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game.
"The quality of these student-athletes shows that success in academics and success in athletics are not separate entities," said IBCA executive director Marty Johnson. "Rather, in many cases, a player's success in the classroom directly contributes to his or her success on the floor."
IBCA-member head coaches from schools across the state may nominate their senior student-athletes who meet criteria that include a 3.50 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale, a class rank in the upper 25 percent of one's class and either an SAT score of 1100 (on the reading and math sections) or an ACT composite score of 24. Once nominations were received, an IBCA committee reviewed the information and determined awards for first team and honorable mention.
Those selected will receive certificates from the IBCA for their honor. Plans are for certificates to be distributed in PDF form to coaches via e-mail during April for the coach to print. The coach then may present the certificate to each honored player sometime before the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year.
The IBCA has selected an Academic All-State team for boys since 1973. The program was expanded to include a girls' Academic All-State team in 1980.