SPOKANE, Wash. – Six Whitworth University basketball players have earned inclusion on the 2025-26 Academic All-District® Women's and Men's NCAA Division III Basketball teams, according to the official list released today by the College Sports Communicators.

The 2025-26 Academic All-District® Men's and Women's Basketball Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.  Student-athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher through the final full academic term and must be a starter or key reserve on the team.

Addyson Gallatin and Ashlyn Neilsen made the list from Whitworth's women's team.  Caden Bateman, Stephen Behil, Colton Looney and Ben Nyquist represent the men's team.

Gallatin, a sophomore post from Snohomish, Washington, started all 25 games for the Pirate women and averaged 10.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.  She posted four double-doubles over the last eight games of the season. 

Neilsen played in all 25 of Whitworth's games as one of the top players off the bench, averaging 3.7 points.  A junior, Neilsen is a kinesiology and education major from Odessa, Washington.

Bateman, a senior post from Missoula, Montana, earned selection in his first year of eligibility after transferring from the University of Montana.  He started 27 of 28 games, averaging 12.5 points and 7.9 rebounds.  He had seven double-doubles and became the first Pirate with more than 20 rebounds in one game in over 30 years.  He is a business management major.

Behil, a senior wing, was first team All-Northwest Conference and an NABC first team All-District selection in 2026 after leading the team in scoring average at 17.1 points per game.  He added 7.3 rebounds per game and had five double-doubles.  Behil is a business management major from Camas, Washington.

Looney also started 27 of the 28 games, averaging 11.5 points while making 39.1% of his three-pointers.  He scored a career-high 27 points in a win at Lewis & Clark.  A senior, Looney is from Vancouver, Washington and enrolled in Whitworth's MBA program.

Nyquist, a senior guard, was selected as the NWC's Defensive Player of the Year and a second team All-Conference honoree.  He led the NWC and set a school record with 94 steals while adding 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.  He is a business management major from Kirkland, Washington.