The MIAA has announced its academic awards for the 2025-26 women's golf season, recognizing 54 NCAA Division II student-athletes from 12 member institutions for outstanding academic achievements. Key honors include 12 awarded Scholar-Athlete status and 8 receiving the prestigious Academic Excellence award. Notably, Brianna Maddux from Rogers State University and Liz Lyons from the University of Nebraska Kearney both achieved all three academic honors, maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA. These awards do not include first-year student-athletes or transfers, with a separate announcement for newcomers planned for later in June.

By the Numbers
  • 54 student-athletes recognized on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
  • 2 students achieved all three of the association's academic honors.
  • 8 prestigious Academic Excellence awards granted.
  • 12 earned Scholar-Athlete status.
Yes, But

While the number of recognitions is commendable, the exclusion of first-year athletes may highlight a gap in celebrating younger talent in the MIAA. There鈥檚 an ongoing focus on how these exclusions could affect the perception of academic achievement among new entrants.

State of Play
  • Recognition includes 12 MIAA member institutions participating in the academic awards.
  • The next round of awards for first-year student-athletes will be released at the end of June.
What's Next

As the MIAA prepares to unveil the academic honors for newcomers, it may see increased engagement from institutions aiming to promote academic excellence among all athletes, including first-year students.

Bottom Line

The MIAA's academic awards showcase the commitment to academic excellence within women's golf, reaffirming the significance of balancing athletics with educational achievement across member institutions. Future engagement strategies could enhance recognition for emerging talent.