Huntington University has been awarded the NAIA Champions of Character Five-Star Bronze Award for the 2025-26 academic year, a recognition it has achieved 14 times since 2010. This honor underscores the university鈥檚 dedication to fostering student-athletes who excel academically and athletically. The award criteria include character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, recognition, and promotion, with the institution needing at least 60 points on the Core Report to qualify. The Crossroads League also received the Five-Star Conference distinction, highlighting its commitment to character across member schools. This alignment with NAIA values emphasizes the importance of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership within the student-athlete experience.

By the Numbers
  • 14-time recipient of the NAIA Five-Star award since 2010.
  • One of 203 NAIA institutions recognized this year.
State of Play
  • Huntington competes in 19 intercollegiate sports for men and women.
  • The university has tallied 192 NAIA All-America honors and 698 All-America Scholar Athlete honors over the past decade.
What's Next

With the continued emphasis on character and academic achievement, Huntington University is likely to maintain its strong reputation in collegiate athletics. Future recognition may hinge on sustaining or improving sportsmanship and character-focused programs while enhancing academic performance among student-athletes.

Bottom Line

This Five-Star recognition not only showcases Huntington's commitment to excellence on the field and in the classroom but also reinforces the university's mission to cultivate character-driven leaders, paving the way for ongoing success and recognition in collegiate athletics.