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NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award

Elite Scholar-Athlete Award

Recognizing exceptional academic achievement and excellence in college sports.

The NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes the academic distinction of student-athletes competing at NCAA Championships. Presented across all three divisions, the award honors 94 student-athletes each season who have earned the highest cumulative GPA among eligible competitors at their championship finals site.

Beginning in 2026-27, the award will expand to recognize student-athletes for their achievements beyond the classroom. Championship recipients will be considered for seasonal honors. Then, from those six seasonal winners, one man and one woman will be chosen for the Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. These additional recognitions will celebrate excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and community impact.

Nomination Form
Elite Scholar-AthleteRecognizes the eligible student-athlete with the highest cumulative undergraduate GPA at each NCAA championship finals site. There are94 total winners.
Seasonal Elite Scholar-AthleteHonors one man and one woman student-athlete each fall, winter and spring for excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and service. This narrows down from 94 to 6.
NCAA Man & WomanElite Scholar-Athlete of the YearRecognizes two annual recipients selected from the six seasonal winners for their outstanding achievements and impact throughout their collegiate experience.

2026-27 Elite-Scholar Athlete Award Winners

Nominate a Student-Athlete

Eligible student-athletes may be nominated for recognition based on their academic achievements and participation at an NCAA championship. Schools must verify eligibility and academic information as part of the nomination process.

Qualify

A team or individual must qualify to compete at the final championship site to be eligible for the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award.

Review

Review the selection criteria to determine who will be your school’s nominee.

Submit

Submit your school’s nominee through the nomination form.

Nomination Form

Nomination Deadlines

Check the nomination deadline for your division and sport to ensure your student-athlete is nominated for the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award.

SportSubmission Deadline
Men’s Cross CountryTuesday, Nov. 17, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Cross CountryTuesday, Nov. 17, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Field HockeyTuesday, Nov. 17, 5 p.m. Eastern time
FootballWednesday, Dec. 16, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s SoccerTuesday, Dec. 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s SoccerMonday, Dec. 7, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s VolleyballMonday, Dec. 14, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Water PoloMonday, Nov. 30, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s BasketballSunday, March 21, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s BasketballTuesday, March 30, noon Eastern time
BowlingWednesday, March 31, noon Eastern time
Men’s FencingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s FencingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s GymnasticsThursday, April 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s GymnasticsMonday, April 12, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Ice Hockey
Women’s Ice HockeyTuesday, March 16, noon Eastern time
Men’s Indoor Track and FieldMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Indoor Track and FieldMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
RifleMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
SkiingThursday, March 4, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Swimming and DivingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Swimming and DivingMonday, March 15, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s WrestlingMonday, March 15, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s WrestlingFriday, Feb. 26, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Acrobatics and TumblingFriday, April 16, 5 p.m. Eastern time
BaseballTuesday, June 15, 1 p.m. Eastern time
Beach VolleyballMonday, May 3, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s GolfMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s GolfMonday, May 17, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s LacrosseTuesday, May 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s LacrosseMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Outdoor Track and FieldThursday, June 3, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Outdoor Track and FieldThursday, June 3, 5 p.m. Eastern time
RowingFriday, May 21, 5 p.m. Eastern time
SoftballMonday, May 31, 5 p.m. Eastern time
StuntWednesday, April 28, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s TennisMonday, May 17, 10 a.m. Eastern time
Women’s TennisMonday, May 17, 10 a.m. Eastern time
Men’s VolleyballMonday, May 10, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Water PoloMonday, April 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time

SportSubmission Deadline
Men’s Cross CountryTuesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Cross CountryTuesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Field HockeyTuesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
FootballTuesday, Dec. 15, noon Eastern time
Men’s SoccerTuesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s SoccerTuesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s VolleyballTuesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Water PoloMonday, Nov. 30, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s BasketballThursday, March 18, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s BasketballThursday, March 18, 5 p.m. Eastern time
BowlingWednesday, March 31, noon Eastern time
Men’s FencingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s FencingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s GymnasticsThursday, April 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s GymnasticsMonday, April 12, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Ice HockeyTuesday, March 16, noon Eastern time
Men’s Indoor Track and FieldMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Indoor Track and FieldMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
RifleMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
SkiingThursday, March 4, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Men’s WrestlingFriday, March 5, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s WrestlingFriday, Feb. 26, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Acrobatics and TumblingFriday, April 16, 5 p.m. Eastern time
BaseballWednesday, June 2, noon Eastern time
Beach VolleyballMonday, May 3, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s GolfWednesday, May 12, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s GolfFriday, May 7, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s LacrosseTuesday, May 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s LacrosseWednesday, May 26, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Outdoor Track and FieldMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Outdoor Track and FieldMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
RowingFriday, May 21, 5 p.m. Eastern time
SoftballMonday, May 31, 5 p.m. Eastern time
StuntWednesday, April 28, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s TennisThursday, May 13, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s TennisThursday, May 13, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Water PoloMonday, April 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time

Sport Submission Deadline
Men’s Cross CountryTuesday, Nov. 17, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Cross CountryTuesday, Nov. 17, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Field HockeyTuesday, Nov. 17, noon Eastern time
FootballSaturday, Dec. 26, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s SoccerMonday, Nov. 30, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s SoccerMonday, Nov. 30, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s VolleyballWednesday, Nov. 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Water PoloMonday, Nov. 30, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s BasketballMonday, March 15, noon Eastern time
Women’s BasketballTuesday, March 16, noo Eastern time
BowlingWednesday, March 31, noon Eastern time
Men’s FencingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s FencingFriday, March 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s GymnasticsThursday, April 8, 5 pm Eastern time
Women’s GymnasticsMonday, April 12, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Ice HockeyTuesday, March 23, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Ice HockeyTuesday, March 23, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Indoor Track and FieldMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Indoor Track and FieldMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
RifleMonday, March 8, 5 p.m. Eastern time
SkiingThursday, March 4, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Swimming and DivingMonday, March 15, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Swimming and DivingMonday, March 15, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s WrestlingTuesday, March 10, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s WrestlingFriday, February 26, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Acrobatics and TumblingFriday, April 16, 5 p.m. Eastern time
BaseballWednesday, June 2, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Beach VolleyballMonday, May 3, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s GolfFriday, May 15, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s GolfFriday, May 7, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s LacrosseTuesday, May 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s LacrosseMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s Outdoor Track and FieldMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Outdoor Track and FieldMonday, May 24, 5 p.m. Eastern time
RowingFriday, May 21, 5 p.m. Eastern time
SoftballTuesday, May 25, 5 p.m. Eastern time
StuntWednesday, April 28, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s TennisWednesday, May 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s TennisWednesday, May 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Men’s VolleyballTuesday, April 20, 5 p.m. Eastern time
Women’s Water PoloMonday, April 19, 5 p.m. Eastern time

Selection Criteria

The Elite Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes excellence through three stages of selection. Championship recipients are determined by academic achievement, while seasonal and annual honors also are based on athletics accomplishments, leadership, service and character.

Explore the eligibility requirements and selection criteria for each stage below.

Visit the NCAA Award Honoree Database to view all Elite Scholar-Athlete Award winners.

NCAA Award Honoree Database