Cleveland, Ohio -- The Division II Athletics Directors Association (DII ADA) announced the inaugural recipients of the DII ADA Academic Achievement Awards presented by WeatherPORT. The Academic Achievement Awards is a program that recognizes the academic accomplishments of student-athletes at the Division II level.

Sixty-seven institutions participated in the 2007-08 awards program and 2155 student-athletes were recognized. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) had a record number 214 student-athletes honored, followed by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with 212 nominees.

In order for a student-athlete to receive an Academic Achievement Award, the athletics director of the Division II institution MUST BE a CURRENT dues paying member of the DII ADA.

Also, the student-athlete must:

• have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale
• have attended a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college level work
• have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during his/her last academic year
  
  "We want to thank those colleges and universities that took part in honoring its student-athletes," stated DII ADA President Ed Matejkovic, director of athletics at West Chester University. "Our Association would like to congratulate those student-athletes that earned an Academic Achievement Award for 2007-08. We look forward to continued participation in the years to come."
  
  The following institutions submitted student-athletes for the inaugural Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award: (please click institution name for a complete listing of student-athletes)
  
  CCAA: Chico State, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State Stanislaus, Sonoma State
  CACC: Caldwell, Georgian Court, Goldey Beacom
  CIAA: Fayetteville State
  CC: Barton, Coker, Mount Olive
  ECC: Adelphi, Dowling, Mercy, Molloy, Queens University of Charlotte
  GLIAC: Findlay, Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Wayne State University
  GLVC: Bellarmine, Drury, LewisGNAC: Western Washington
  GSC: Alabama Huntsville
  HC: Dallas Baptist, Incarnate Word, St. Edward's, St. Mary's, Texas A&M InternationalIndependent: Central State
  LSC: Angelo State, Cameron, Texas A&M Commerce, Texas Woman's
  MIAA: Emporia State, Northwest Missouri State, Truman State
  NE10C: Bentley, Massachusetts Lowell
  NSIC: Bemidji, Minnesota Crookston, Minnesota State Mankato, Wayne State College
  PWC: Dixie State
  PBC: Armstrong Atlantic State, Augusta State, Francis Marion, South Carolina Aiken
  PSAC: East Stroudsburg, Mansfield, Slippery Rock, West Chester
  RMAC: Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State Pueblo, Metropolitan State, Western New Mexico, Western State College of Colorado
  SAC: Newberry
  SIAC: Kentucky State
  SSC: Barry, Florida Southern, Lynn, Nova Southeastern, Saint Leo, Tampa
  WVIAC: Seton Hill
  
  About DII ADA: The DII ADA is the first organization of its kind to provide educational and networking opportunities; enhancement of acceptable operating standards and ethics; and establishment of the overall prestige and understanding of the profession of Division II athletics directors. For more information about the DII ADA, please visit www.nacda.com. The DII ADA is administered by NACDA. In its 44th year, NACDA is the professional and educational association for more than 6,500 college athletics administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. More than 2,200 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. Additionally, NACDA administers 11 professional associations for the separate business units that report directly to the athletics director.