BRIGHTON, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced the second-ever class of recipients of its Academic Elite Award, recognizing the conference's top student-athletes for their exceptional academic achievement.
Established by the MIAA Faculty Athletic Representatives, the Academic Elite Award is presented annually to the male and female student-athlete in each sport with the highest cumulative grade-point average. Honorees must have at least two years of varsity participation and hold junior, senior, or graduate academic standing. In the case of identical GPAs, multiple student-athletes may be honored in the same sport.
Student-athletes who lead their sport in cumulative GPA are recognized in each sport they compete in, meaning individuals with top academic marks in multiple sports—such as cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field—are honored multiple times.
A record 145 Academic Elite awards were presented this year, a significant increase from the 88 honors awarded to the inaugural class in 2024-25. Ninety-nine percent of the recipients achieved a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade-point average, underscoring the remarkable academic excellence demonstrated throughout the conference.
Trine University once again led all MIAA institutions with 54 Academic Elite accolades, represented by 45 individual student-athletes. Nine Trine student-athletes earned multiple Academic Elite honors by leading in cumulative GPA across more than one sport.
Women's track and field repeated as the leader across all sports with 18 Academic Elite recipients in both the indoor and outdoor seasons, highlighting the depth of academic achievement among the conference's track and field student-athletes.
Among the 145 total awards presented, 85 were earned by seniors, 57 by juniors, and three by graduate students, reflecting the sustained commitment to academic success throughout their collegiate careers.
"The Academic Elite Award represents the very best of what it means to be a Division III student-athlete," commented MIAA Interim Commissioner Lauren Bryne-Dunn. "To see nearly every honoree earn a perfect 4.0 grade-point average while excelling in competition is an extraordinary accomplishment. These student-athletes embody the MIAA's commitment to excellence in the classroom and on the playing field, and we are proud to celebrate their dedication, perseverance, and pursuit of success."
The Academic Elite Award continues to reflect the MIAA's commitment to recognizing the conference's highest-achieving student-athletes and celebrating the balance of academic and athletic excellence that defines the Division III experience.