CLEVELAND, Ohio - Lynn University continued to showcase its commitment to academic excellence as 249 Fighting Knight student-athletes were recognized as recipients of the 2025-26 Division II Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards.
 
The Academic Achievement Awards, now in their 19th year, recognize the academic accomplishments of student-athletes competing in NCAA Division II championship-sponsored sports. More than 21,000 student-athletes from 179 institutions earned recognition during the 2025-26 academic year.
 
Lynn's 249 honorees placed the Fighting Knights among just 15 institutions nationwide to have more than 200 student-athletes receive the award. Lynn was one of two Sunshine State Conference institutions to surpass the 200-honoree mark, joining Florida Southern (219).
 
The Fighting Knights also led all SSC institutions in total Academic Achievement Award recipients. Lynn's 249 honorees were followed by Florida Southern (219), Embry-Riddle (170), Florida Tech (148), Rollins (136), Eckerd (111) and Palm Beach Atlantic (86). In total, 1,119 student-athletes from the SSC earned recognition, making the conference one of nine nationwide with more than 1,000 honorees.
 
To qualify for the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, have completed a minimum of two years or four semesters of college-level work and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during the previous academic year. The institution's athletics director must also be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.
 
Since the award program's inception, more than 211,000 Division II student-athletes have been recognized for their accomplishments in the classroom.
 
The D2 ADA provides educational and networking opportunities for Division II athletics directors while working to enhance operating standards, ethics and the overall understanding of the profession. The organization is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).