Elite Scholar-Athletes Get New National Honor
Student-athletes with top grades across NCAA divisions can now earn year-round recognition and national awards.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Scholarships
The NCAA has expanded its Elite Scholar-Athlete program to recognize student-athletes year-round, with new national awards. The NCAA will select one man and one woman as Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year, with winners announced in summer 2027.
Why it matters
The expansion gives student-athletes who excel academically greater national exposure and creates a new recognition track for those pursuing degrees alongside competition. For families weighing athletic and academic achievement, it signals that scholarly performance is being publicly rewarded at the highest collegiate level.
One man and one woman will be named the inaugural NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year in summer 2027. Six seasonal honorees, drawn from fall, winter and spring championship finals, will be considered for the annual award.
The players
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association, a national governing body for college athletics across Divisions I, II and III that oversees championships and student-athlete recognition programs.
The details
Each NCAA championship finals site across Divisions I, II and III presents the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average among eligible competitors. The NCAA selects one man and one woman each season from those winners, and a cross-divisional group of student-athletes, supported by NCAA staff, chooses the honorees. The six seasonal honorees will then be considered for the Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
Timeline
Summer 2027: inaugural Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners announced
Education Landscape
The expansion extends the existing championship-level Elite Scholar-Athlete Award into a year-round, national recognition program. It places academic achievement among student-athletes in a more prominent national spotlight across the three NCAA divisions.
Student-athletes at NCAA championship levels across all three divisions now have a route to national recognition tied to academic performance. Families and students can watch for the summer 2027 announcement and ask their athletics or academic office how the honors apply to their program.
The takeaway
Academic achievement among student-athletes is getting a larger national platform, with the first Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners set for summer 2027. Students who want to know how the honors apply to their school should ask their athletics or academic office for guidance.
What happens next
Summer 2027 announcement of the inaugural Elite Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners.
Further reading
For more on how athletic and academic honors fit into the broader picture, explore Scholarships on Scholaroo.
More information
Visit the NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award information page for details on the program.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NCAA.
