CLEVELAND -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) had 523 student-athletes from six institutions recognized recently by the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) with Academic Achievement Awards. The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level. In total, 10,116 NCAA Division II student-athletes from 162 institutions were recognized with 2017-18 Academic Achievement Awards.
Grand Valley State University paced the GLIAC with 101 honorees, while Tiffin University (96) and Wayne State University (94) were close behind GVSU. Ashland University (82), Michigan Technlogical University (75) and Ferris State University (75) rounded out the conference contingent on the distinguised recognition list.
"As an Officer for the D2 ADA Board, it has pleased me to see the number of student-athletes recognized for their academic achievements continue to increase," said current D2 ADA President Jim Johnson, director of athletics at Pittsburg State. "This program is a point of pride for our current D2 ADA member institutions and a great way for their student-athletes' achievements to be recognized nationally. On behalf of the D2 ADA, we congratulate and celebrate these academic distinctions and are proud of your accomplishments."
In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the athletics director of the Division II institution must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA. Also, the student-athlete must:
- have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
- have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
- have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year
About D2 ADA: The D2 ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division II athletics directors. For more information about the D2 ADA, please visit www.div2ada.com. The D2 ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 54th year. For more information on NACDA and the 17 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
