AUSTIN, TX – After an outstanding season on the court while excelling in the classroom, Kyle Duke was named to the 2026 CSC Academic All-America First Team, CSC officials announced Tuesday afternoon. Duke becomes just the third member of the Cumberlands basketball program to earn these honors, joining Jonathan Brown who was named CSC Team Member of the Year back in 2024, and Kirill Yakovlev who earned Third-Team honors back in 2002.
 
Duke earns first-team honors after leading the Patriots offensively throughout the season. The senior guard totaled 653 points while averaging 20.4 points per game, adding 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest. He shot 47.4% from the field and 42.6% from three-point range (66-155), while also converting 87.9% from the free-throw line (153-174). His FT percentage ranks second-best in a single season and is the new career program record.
 
The Toronto, Canada native was one of the most consistent scorers in the NAIA this season, reaching double figures in all 32 games while recording 17 games of 20 points or more. Duke also delivered key performances throughout the year, including multiple 30-point outings and strong showings during the Patriots' run to the NAIA National Championship Final Site for the third consecutive season.
 
Duke caps off his decorated career with CSC Academic All-America honors, adding to an already impressive resume that includes NAIA Second-Team All-American recognition, First-Team All-Mid-South Conference honors, and multiple conference weekly awards. He was a key piece in helping lead Cumberlands to three straight NAIA Final Site appearances while establishing himself as one of the top scorers in the nation.
 
The CSC Academic All-America® program recognizes student-athletes who excel both academically and athletically, requiring a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.50 and significant athletic achievement. Duke's success both in the classroom and on the court highlights the standard of excellence within the University of the Cumberlands men's basketball program.
 
For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on X - @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram- @UCPatriots, TikTok- @ucpatriots, YouTube- Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.