MOUNT OLIVE — The University of Mount Olive had 322 student-athletes recognized as recipients of the 2025-26 Division II Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards, the organization announced.

Mount Olive's 322 recipients ranked second among all NCAA Division II institutions recognized through the program, trailing only fellow Conference Carolinas member Emmanuel University, which led the nation with 365 honorees. The two institutions were also the only schools to have more than 300 student-athletes recognized during the 2025-26 academic year.

The D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards, now in their 19th year, recognize the academic accomplishments of student-athletes competing in NCAA Division II championship-sponsored sports.
To qualify for the honor, student-athletes must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have attended a minimum of two years, or four semesters, of college-level coursework and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during their last academic year. Additionally, the student-athlete's institution's athletics director must be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.

"We are incredibly proud of our 322 student-athletes who earned this recognition." said UMO Athletic Director Joey Higginbotham. "Their commitment to academic excellence reflects the standard we strive for at the University of Mount Olive—pursuing excellence in the classroom, in competition, and throughout our community. This achievement is a tremendous credit to our student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff who work together to create an environment where our students can succeed."

Mount Olive's 322 honorees also contributed to Conference Carolinas ranking among the nine NCAA Division II conferences with more than 1,000 student-athletes recognized. Conference Carolinas had 1,396 student-athletes earn the distinction during the 2025-26 academic year.

Overall, more than 21,000 student-athletes from 179 institutions were recognized through the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards for the 2025-26 academic year. Since the program's inception, more than 211,000 Division II student-athletes have received the honor.