LAKELAND, Fla., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Florida Southern College set a new program record with 241 student-athletes named to the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards for 2024-25, the fourth-highest total in all of Division II.
Florida Southern College Athletics.
“Being a student-athlete requires extraordinary dedication and hard work to excel in both athletics and academics,” said Drew Howard, director of athletics and dean of wellness at Florida Southern College. “We are proud to have some of the best student-athletes in the country, and it is always a privilege to see their achievements recognized. Our student-athletes earn every success through their commitment and determination, and they are lifted up by the incredible support of the Florida Southern community.”
In its 18th year, the Academic Achievement Awards recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level in NCAA-sponsored sports. For the first time since the program’s beginning, more than 20,000 student-athletes (22,756) from a record 202 institutions were recognized for the 2024-25 Academic Achievement Awards. This year’s totals are the highest in the program’s history. Historically, 190,032 total student-athletes have been recognized since the initiation of the awards program.
“Since its inception, this program has been dedicated to celebrating the exceptional student-athletes who define excellence across our Division II landscape,” said Traci Murphy, vice president for athletics at Daemen University and current D2 ADA president. “This year, we are thrilled to recognize a record number of deserving individuals, reflecting the unprecedented dedication within our division—not only in athletics, but in the classroom as well. This year’s record-breaking submissions for both individuals and schools serve as a testament to the Division II way. Thanks to the administrators who nominated these outstanding individuals, and much-deserved congratulations to our 22,000-plus recipients.”
To qualify for this honor, the student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale, have completed a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work, and have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year.
To view the full list of Florida Southern recipients, please click here.
About Florida Southern CollegeFounded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 70+ undergraduate programs and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, nursing, and physical therapy. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio, is an award-winning national leader in engaged learning, and boasts 30 NCAA Division II National Championships. In the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 “Best Colleges” guide, Florida Southern ranks #11 among “Best Regional Universities in the South,” #9 in “Most Innovative Schools,” and #20 in “Best Value Schools.” The College is also highlighted in The Princeton Review’s 2026 Best 391 Colleges guide and the “Fiske Guide to Colleges 2025.” The 2024-2025 Colleges of Distinction guidebook praises Florida Southern’s AACSB-accredited Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise alongside the College’s School of Education and its Ann Blanton Edwards School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, FSC houses 13 Wright-designed structures. Connect with Florida Southern College.
SOURCE Florida Southern College