Rockhurst University Athletics continues to set the standard for academic excellence in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, as a conference-best 266 Rockhurst student-athletes were recognized with the 2025-26 Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Award posted last week.
The D2 ADA recognized more than 21,000 student-athletes from 179 NCAA Division II institutions for their accomplishments in the classroom. The Academic Achievement Awards are in their 19th year and honor student-athletes competing in NCAA championship-sponsored sports who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement.
Rockhurst's 266 honorees were the most among all GLVC institutions. Truman State followed with 222 honorees, while Indianapolis had 208.
"Rockhurst University Athletics continues to demonstrate excellence in the classroom as well as in competition," Rockhurst Director of Athletics Kristy Bayer said. "As a recognized leader in Division II, our student-athletes consistently rank among the nation's best in academic achievement, and today's announcement is another testament to that commitment.
"A heartfelt thank you to our faculty, staff, and coaches for fostering a culture where academic success remains a top priority and for continually supporting our student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence."
To qualify for the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, student-athletes must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, have completed a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college-level work and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during their final academic year.
Rockhurst was one of just 15 Division II institutions nationwide to have more than 200 student-athletes recognized. The Hawks ranked sixth nationally among those institutions, with 266 honorees.
The recognition continues a strong tradition of academic achievement at Rockhurst, where student-athletes continue to excel in the classroom while competing at the highest levels of NCAA Division II athletics.
