General

Summit League releases 2019-20 Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Summit League officials announced Wednesday that 759 student-athletes earned 2019-20 Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence distinction. The list includes students from last year’s nine member institutions and four associate members competing in 17 different sports. The list honors student-athletes for their hard work in the classroom during this past year.
 
Qualifications
  • In order for a student-athlete to be selected to the Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence, the student-athlete must carry a 3.50 or better cumulative GPA, have used a year of eligibility and completed one academic year at the nominating institution.
By The Numbers
  • A total of 759 student-athletes across 17 sports were honored
  • South Dakota earned the distinction for total student-athletes selected with 118, while South Dakota and North Dakota State were second and third with 111 and 104 selections, respectively.
  • The Coyotes led the league in total number of honorees as well, which includes duplicates for cross country and track and field with 132. They were followed by South Dakota State (120) and North Dakota State (104).
  • North Dakota State received The Summit League Institutional Academic Achievement Award for the first time in school history as the Bison recorded the highest percentage of list-eligible student-athletes with the distinction.
  • In addition, the league recognized Team Academic Achievement Awards for each sport based on the percentage of list-eligible student-athletes on the Commissioner's List. North Dakota State had a league-best five teams receive individual sport honors, while Omaha, Purdue Fort Wayne and South Dakota State earned three awards.
List of Team Academic Achievement Awards
Baseball: Purdue Fort Wayne
Men's Basketball: Omaha
Women's Basketball: North Dakota State
Men's Cross Country: South Dakota State
Women's Cross Country: North Dakota & Purdue Fort Wayne
Men's Golf: North Dakota State
Women's Golf: North Dakota State
Men's Soccer: Denver
Women's Soccer: North Dakota State & South Dakota State
Softball: North Dakota State
Men's Swimming & Diving: South Dakota
Women's Swimming & Diving: Omaha
Men's Tennis: Valparaiso
Women's Tennis: Oral Roberts & South Dakota
Men's Track & Field: South Dakota State
Women's Track & Field: Purdue Fort Wayne
Volleyball: Omaha

List of Institutional Academic Achievement Award Winners (Award began in 2009-10)
2009-10 .........................................South Dakota State
2010-11 ........................................ Centenary
2011-12 .........................................South Dakota
2012-13 .........................................Omaha / South Dakota State
2013-14 .........................................Omaha
2014-15 .........................................Omaha
2015-16 .........................................Omaha
2016-17 .........................................Denver
2017-18 .........................................South Dakota
2018-19 .........................................South Dakota
2019-20 .........................................North Dakota State

Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence (by total number of student-athletes):
  1. South Dakota - 118
  2. South Dakota State – 111
  3. North Dakota State - 104
  4. Western Illinois - 91
  5. Omaha – 73
  6. Denver - 62
  7. North Dakota – 61
  8. Oral Roberts - 59
  9. Purdue Fort Wayne - 48
  10. Eastern Illinois – 19 – men’s soccer and swimming & diving associate member
  11. Illinois State – 6 – men’s tennis associate member
  12. Valparaiso – 5 – men’s swimming & diving and men’s tennis associate member
  13. Drake – 2 – men’s tennis associate member
     
Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence (by total number of selections):
  1. South Dakota – 132
  2. South Dakota State - 120
  3. North Dakota State – 114
  4. Western Illinois - 101
  5. Omaha - 80
  6. North Dakota – 71
  7. Oral Roberts - 63
  8. Denver - 62
  9. Purdue Fort Wayne - 51
  10. Eastern Illinois – 19
  11. Illinois State – 6
  12. Valparaiso – 5
  13. Drake – 2
 
A complete list of the 2019-20 Commissioner’s List of Academic Excellence recipients can be found in the link above as a PDF.
 
NOTE: “Selection” means the total number of student-athletes each university garnered; it does not account for duplicated student-athletes on the list.

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