The Atlantic East Conference established The Elite 20 Award Program in the fall of 2021 to honor the highest achievement in academics and athletics by a student-athlete in each Atlantic East-sponsored sport. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 90 Academic Recognition Award Program, The Atlantic East Elite 20 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing at the finals site at each of the Atlantic East’s 20 team championships. 

The selection process varies for team and individual sports and winners are chosen from a list of nominations submitted by Atlantic East institutions. For the team sports of soccer, volleyball, field hockey, basketball, flag football, tennis, baseball, softball and lacrosse, the winner will be chosen from the two teams participating in the championship game or match. For cross country, swimming and track & field, the winners will be chosen from the top two team finishers at the championship.

The recipients will be honored during the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the championship.

Selection Criteria

- Student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and in his or her second year of competition at their current institution in any sport.

- Student-athlete is an active member on the roster, eligible for the championship, and a member of the designated squad at the championship site. For team sports: If they are injured during the course of one of the playoff games, they must have played in more than 90 percent of the team’s regular season games. For individual/team sports, the student-athlete must be physically able to compete at the finals site.

- Only undergraduate GPA is applicable.  If the student-athlete has graduated and is in graduate school, he or she is still eligible for the award but consideration will be based strictly on an undergraduate GPA. Graduate students must be in good academic standing with the university

- Each student-athlete is only eligible to win the award once per academic year, even if he or she participates in more than one sport.

- Credits completed shall only consist of those credits accumulated at the current institution and shall not include any transfer or AP credits.

- For team sports, the award winner will be the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the championship.

- For individual sports, the award winner will be the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA on the top two team finishers.


Award Winners

2021-22	Fall	Men's Swimming, Women's Swimming Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball	Men's Golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, Softball, Baseball, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
2022-23	Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball	Men's Swimming, Women's Swimming Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball	Men's Golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, Softball, Baseball, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
2023-24	Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball	Men's Swimming, Women's Swimming Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball	Women's Flag Football, Men's Golf, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, Softball, Baseball, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
2024-25	Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball	Men's Swimming, Women's Swimming Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball	Women's Flag Football, Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis, Men's Lacrosse, Women's Lacrosse, Sofball, Baseball, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field