GREENWOOD, Ind. - The Illinois Wesleyan University men's basketball program added to its nation-leading College Sports Communicators Academic All-America tally Tuesday, April 14, as junior Mason Funk (Normal, Ill.-University High) earned the prestigious honor. Funk was voted a CSC First Team Academic All-America selection.

With his selection, Funk is the program's 28th Academic All-America selection, increasing IWU's national lead on Kansas and Duke, who have 22 all-time honorees each. He is the first Titan to garner the first team status since Matthew Leritz was voted CSC's Academic All-America of the Year in 2022.
 
Furthermore, IWU's all-time Academic All-America list now sits at 178, which is top-25 across NCAA Division I, II, and III, as well as top-10 in Division III. Funk joins Kannyn Boyd (women's volleyball) as the second Titan to receive the distinguished honor this academic year. To view the list of Illinois Wesleyan's all-time awardwinners, click here.

Funk put together a breakout junior season for the Titans, leading Illinois Wesleyan's to its highest win total since 2014 and the program's first Elite Eight appearance since 2022. A biology major on the pre-med track, Funk boasts an impressive 3.95 grade point average. 

In a storied season, he was voted D3hoops.com Fifth Team All-America, D3hoops.com Second Team All-Region 8, First Team All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, CSC Academic All-District, and CCIW Player of the Week.

Funk finished the season second on the team in both scoring and rebounding. One of two players to start every game for the Titans this season, the junior averaged 15.9 points alongside 6.5 rebounds per game. The top defensive player in the CCIW, Funk finished with 73 rejections and 54 steals, while adding 72 assists. His 73 swats are the second-most in IWU single-season history and stand as the seventh-most nationally. A finalist for the prestigious Josten's Trophy award, he totaled 20+ points in 10 games and racked up three 30-point showings.

The 2025-26 season was a memorable one as the Titans returned to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2022. IWU finished the year with a 26-5 overall record, the program's highest win total since 2014. Illinois Wesleyan won the CCIW regular season and tournament championships in the same season for the first time in program history before winning three NCAA Tournament games.