BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Loyola Maryland senior forward Milos Ilic was selected the 2024-25 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in addition to earning a spot on the Academic All-Patriot League Team when the League office announced accolades on Wednesday.
Ilic, an information systems and data analytics major, carries a 3.578 cumulative GPA. The Serbia native also earned a spot on the six-member Academic All-Patriot League Team after being selected Second Team All-Patriot League when postseason honors were announced. Ilic is the second Greyhound men’s basketball student-athlete to earn Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, joining Franz Rassman (2015-16).
Boston University graduate student guard Miles Brewster (international relations, 3.54 undergrad GPA; TV, 3.54 grad GPA) and Navy junior guard Austin Benigni (computer science, 3.3 GPA) captured spots on the Academic All-Patriot League squad for the second consecutive season.
Ilic, American graduate student guard Lincoln Ball (business admin., 3.62 undergrad GPA; marketing, 3.46 grad GPA), Lafayette senior center Justin Vander Baan (psychology, 3.39 GPA) and Lehigh senior guard Tyler Whitney-Sidney (political science, 3.34 GPA) all earned academic honors for the first time.
To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and the Academic All-Patriot League Team, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and be a starter or key player in their sport. Freshmen or students in their first academic year at their school are not eligible for the honor.
The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year winner for each sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out during the summer.
2024-25 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Milos Ilic, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F, Gornj Milanovic, Serbia/Hoosac School (N.Y.)
*Ilic is an information systems and data analytics major with a 3.578 cumulative GPA.
*The Serbia native earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors after finishing among the League leaders in scoring (14.3 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg) and field-goal percentage (.528).
*He is a Dean’s List honoree at Loyola Maryland and a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection.
*The senior forward finished third in the League with seven double-doubles.
2024-25 Academic All-Patriot League Team
Five Academic All-Patriot League selections were named to one of the three All-Patriot League squads. Benigni claimed first-team honors. Ilic and Whitney-Sidney earned second-team honors, with Brewster and Vander Baan making the third team.
Benigni, a two-time All-Patriot League and two-time All-Academic selection, led the League in scoring (18.3 ppg) and ranked second in assists (4.2 apg). The computer science major was also a 2023 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection.
Brewster received Academic All-Patriot League honors and All-Patriot League honors for the second time after finishing with 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for Boston University. He graduated last May with a bachelor’s degree in international relations and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in TV. He earned the University’s Scarlet Key, one of BU’s highest academic honors.
Vander Baan was named the Patriot League’s Defensive Player of the Year before being selected Academic All-Patriot League for the first time. He led the League and ranked third in NCAA DI with 2.9 blocked shots per game, a mark that ranks seventh on the League’s single-season leaders list. The psychology major was a National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honor Court selection in 2024.
Whitney-Sidney (14.3 ppg) is a three-time All-Patriot League selection and 2023-24 All-Tournament Team honoree. The political science major is a five-time Faculty Athletics Council Award recipient and Dean’s List student at Lehigh. He is also a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll selection.
Ball earned NABC Honors Court and CSC Academic All-District accolades following the 2023-24 season and is a three-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll recipient. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration with a 3.62 GPA from American last year. He is pursuing his master’s degree in marketing with a 3.46 GPA.
2024-25 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year – Milos Ilic, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F
2024-25 Patriot League Men’s Basketball Academic All-League Team
Lincoln Ball, American, Gr., G
Miles Brewster, Boston University, Gr., G
Justin Vander Baan, Lafayette, Sr., C
Tyler Whitney-Sidney, Lehigh, Sr., G
Milos Ilic, Loyola Maryland, Sr., F
Austin Benigni, Navy, Jr., G
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes who are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.