Michigan basketball senior Zack Novak earns third team Academic All-America status

Novak was joined on the Third Team by Davidson's J.P. Kuhlman, Denver's Brian Stafford, Brown's Matthew Sullivan and Cornell's Chris Wroblewski.

The Michigan senior was one of three Big Ten honorees, as Ohio State's Aaron Craft earned First Team honors, while Northwestern's Drew Crawford landed on the Second Team.

Novak joins Steve Grote, Marty Bodnar, Mark Bodnar, Paul Heuerman and Pelekoudas on Michigan's all-time Academic All-America list.

To be eligible for Academic All-America honors, student-athletes must be a starter or key reserve on their respective club, and maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.30 or better.

A senior in Michigan's Stephen M. Ross School of Business, Novak is on track to graduate in May. Throughout his career at Michigan, he's won numerous academic honors, including: the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honors Court, CoSIDA/Capital One All-District first team, U-M Athletic Academic Acheivement and U-M's Bodnar Award for Academic Achievement.

Also a finalist for the 2012 Lowe's Senior CLASS award, Novak currently ranks fourth in Michigan's career 3-point field goals made list, and is one of 28 players in school history to record 1,000 points and 500 rebounds in a career.

No. 11 Michigan (21-7, 11-4 Big Ten) returns to action Saturday when the Wolverines host Purdue (6 p.m., BTN).

Prior to tip against the Boilermakers, Novak and fellow seniors Stu Douglass, Corey Person and Ben Cronin will be honored as part of the team's senior night festivities.

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