St. John’s University announced on Apr. 14 that men’s basketball players Zuby Ejiofor and Bryce Hopkins have been named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Teams. Ejiofor was selected for the first team, while Hopkins earned a spot on the third team.
This recognition highlights both athletic and academic achievement, as St. John’s was the only NCAA Division I program to have more than one player honored this year. The award requires student-athletes to maintain at least a 3.50 grade point average, participate in at least 90 percent of their team’s games, and be recognized as all-conference selections during the season.
Ejiofor received this honor for a second consecutive year after being named to the CSC Second Team in 2024-25. He holds a 3.70 GPA in sports management and is set to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in May. He was also recognized as BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year in March. On the court, Ejiofor led St. John’s Red Storm Men’s Basketball to its second straight BIG EAST Regular Season and Tournament Championship, along with its first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999.
During his senior season, Ejiofor averaged 16.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game—leading his team in all four categories—and concluded his collegiate career ranked fifth all-time at St. John’s for blocks (165) and tenth for field goal percentage (.547). He also recorded high marks for free throw attempts and makes within program history over its nearly twelve decades of play.
Ejiofor’s honors included being named Naismith Starting Five Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year as well as AP and USBWA Honorable Mention All-American; he became the first player ever in conference history to win BIG EAST Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards alongside earning Most Outstanding Player at the BIG EAST Tournament.
Hopkins achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.68 while pursuing a master’s degree in business management this academic year with an individual GPA of 3.56; he helped lead St John’s Red Storm Men’s Basketball through another successful season that included their fourth-ever thirty-win campaign according to the official website. Hopkins averaged 13.6 points per game on nearly fifty percent shooting accuracy from inside arc shots plus contributed significantly from beyond it late into tournament play—setting an NCAA program record by making six three-pointers against Kansas on March twenty-second.
Both players were active off-court through community service activities around campus as well as within Queens—the home base where St John’s Red Storm Men’s Basketball plays according to the official website. The team participates under its Red Storm nickname within Big East Conference competition having claimed six Big East Tournament championships plus two National Invitation Tournament titles throughout its history according to school records.
