May 3, 2018 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids Community College student-athlete Zachary Pangborn is a finalist for a national award.
Pangborn, a basketball player who graduates from GRCC this summer, is one of only seven finalists for the 2018 Male Scholar-Athlete Award from the National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators. The winners will be announced May 7. Criteria for the award includes high academic standing along with demonstrated leadership and citizenship.
"Zach showed extraordinary leadership on and off the court," Coach Luke Bronkema said. "It's fitting for him to represent not just the basketball team, but GRCC as a whole."
Pangborn, a 2016 Northview High School graduate, shot 43.3% from the field and 38.3% from behind the arc as the GRCC Raiders' third-highest scorer this season. Averaging 15.1 points per game, he finished the 2017-18 season with 39 steals, 108 assists and 545 points. He earned All-Western Conference Third Team honors and was named the District 9 Tournament MVP. GRCC had a 26-10 overall record and finished in 8th place at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.
Pangborn, GRCC's Donald R. Black Male Student-Athlete of the Year, has been accepted at Davenport University, where he will major in accounting and play basketball for the Panthers.
He credits Bronkema and GRCC Athletic Director Bill Firn with creating a culture focused on academics.
"They made sure we knew that the student comes first in student-athlete," Pangborn said. "The professors at GRCC are awesome. They always were there to help me when I needed it. Their doors were always open. They helped me get to where I am today."
Grand Rapids Community College has been offering educational opportunities in West Michigan for more than 100 years. Established in 1914, the college offers degree courses, certification and training programs, and workshops and personal enrichment classes. Offerings are held on GRCC’s downtown Grand Rapids campus, and at several locations throughout Kent and Ottawa counties, as well as through distance learning.