FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced its second-ever Academic Elite Award winners, recognizing the MIAA's top student-athletes for their academic achievement.
A record 145 Academic Elite awards were presented this year, up from last year's 88 honorees. Ninety-nine percent of the recipients achieved a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA.
This award is presented annually to the male and female student-athletes in each sport with the highest cumulative GPA. Honorees must have at least two years of varsity participation and hold junior or senior academic standing. In case of identical GPAs, multiple student-athletes may be honored in the same sport.
11 Bulldogs were named 2025-26 MIAA Academic Elite Award winners:
Jaxon Clark became the first student-athlete from Adrian College to win the award twice.
"To see nearly every honoree earn a perfect 4.0 GPA 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," said MIAA Interim Commissioner Lauren Bryne-Dunn.
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.
