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Somerset, NJ -- Northeast Conference (NEC) student-athletes showcased their exceptional abilities beyond the field of play during the 2022-23 season.
Exhibiting the same level of determination and drive in their academic pursuits, student-athletes made their mark in the classroom as well.
One school, in particular, distinguished itself by claiming the league’s most prestigious academic honor.
Sacred Heart University captured the NEC Institutional Academic Award, ending the two-year reign of Saint Francis University. With an impressive 3.390 combined grade point average across 23 NEC sports, SHU student-athletes demonstrated their unwavering commitment to academic excellence. It marked the Pioneers’ fourth Institutional Academic Award, and first since completing a three-peat in 2016-17.
Sacred Heart edged out LIU, which finished with a 3.359 GPA. Saint Francis U (3.341), Wagner (3.332) and St. Francis Brooklyn (3.270) rounded out the top-five in that order.
Collectively, the NEC’s 4,000+ student-athletes achieved a 3.273 GPA, a figure that ranks fifth in league history. The highest combined GPA on record to date was 3.404, set during the 2019-20 academic year.
Impressively, 98.1 percent of NEC women’s teams (103 out of 105) achieved a minimum 3.0 GPA, with 88.2 percent of all conference teams (164 out of 186) surpassing the 3.0 mark.
“NEC student-athletes constantly inspire us with their remarkable accomplishments, excelling in both academics and athletics, and leaving a lasting impact in their communities,” stated NEC Commissioner Noreen Morris. “An outstanding example of this unwavering commitment can be seen in Sacred Heart University, the recipient of the prestigious NEC Institutional Academic Award. This achievement exemplifies the exceptional collaboration among the Pioneer administration, coaches, academic support staff and student-athletes, creating an environment that places a premium on academic excellence, community engagement and a holistic campus experience.”
Along with its remarkable academic accomplishments, Sacred Heart recently secured the Brenda Weare Commissioner’s Cup for the ninth time. The Pios also clinched the Joan Martin Women’s Commissioner’s Cup for the 12th time, extending their own conference records in both categories. In fact, this marked the fourth time in the history of the league that an institution won both the Institutional Academic Award and Commissioner’s Cup in the same academic year. Sacred Heart previously pulled off the impressive double in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, along with Saint Francis U in 2017-18.
At year’s end, all 23 SHU teams that competed in NEC sponsored sports posted at least a 3.0 GPA and 13 compiled a 3.5 or better GPA on the year.
“We are thrilled to see our student-athletes rewarded for their efforts on and off the field,” said Judy Ann Riccio, Sacred Heart Director of Athletics. “Earning this honor is a testament to their hard work and the wonderful work of Sacred Heart faculty and our academic support staff in athletics.”
The Institutional Academic Award is presented annually to the NEC member who attains the highest overall institutional grade-point average amongst student-athletes competing in sports sponsored by the NCAA Division I conference. The NEC currently sponsors 24 sports: baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s bowling, men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s volleyball
2022-23 School-By-School GPAs
School NEC Sports Overall GPA
CCSU 16 3.120
FDU 20 3.184
LIU 24 3.359
Merrimack 23 3.220
Sacred Heart 23 3.390
St. Francis Brooklyn 17 3.270
Saint Francis U 22 3.341
Stonehill 20 3.169
Wagner 21 3.332
The NEC also recognized those teams that compiled the highest GPA in their respective sports. Saint Francis U led the way with seven Team GPA awards, one more than Sacred Heart’s six accolades. LIU earned five honors, while Merrimack and Wagner picked up three apiece.
The 3.860 grade point average compiled by the Merrimack women’s bowling team was the highest in any NEC sport this past academic year. LIU women’s cross country (3.806), Sacred Heart men’s golf (3.805) and LIU men’s tennis (3.800) followed closely behind.
Three elite teams secured NEC Championships and Team GPA awards. Wagner earned dual honors in men’s cross country, as did Sacred Heart in women’s golf and Saint Francis U in women’s outdoor track and field.
Seven teams repeated as Team GPA Award winners: Sacred Heart men’s and women’s golf and men’s soccer, along with LIU men’s swimming and diving and men’s tennis, Saint Francis U women’ tennis and Wagner women’s lacrosse. LIU has achieved the highest team GPA in men’s swimming and diving all three years since the NEC began sponsoring the sport in 2020-21.
2022-23 NEC Team GPA Awards
Sport School GPA
Baseball Wagner 3.482
Men’s Basketball Sacred Heart 3.315
Men’s Cross Country Wagner* 3.764
Football Sacred Heart 3.105
Men’s Golf Sacred Heart 3.805
Men’s Soccer Sacred Heart 3.510
Men’s Swimming & Diving LIU 3.294
Men’s Tennis LIU 3.800
Men’s Indoor Track & Field LIU 3.582
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field LIU 3.582
Men’s Volleyball Saint Francis U 3.533
Women’s Basketball Merrimack 3.466
Women’s Bowling Merrimack 3.860
Women’s Cross Country LIU 3.806
Field Hockey Sacred Heart 3.655
Women’s Golf Sacred Heart* 3.735
Women’s Lacrosse Wagner 3.692
Women’s Soccer Merrimack 3.680
Softball Saint Francis U 3.526
Women’s Swimming & Diving Saint Francis U 3.605
Women’s Tennis Saint Francis U 3.742
Women’s Indoor Track & Field Saint Francis U 3.631
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Saint Francis U* 3.631
Women’s Volleyball Saint Francis U 3.729
* Won NEC Championship
NEC Institutional Academic Award Winners
Year School GPA
2022-23 Sacred Heart 3.390
2021-22 Saint Francis U 3.479
2020-21 Saint Francis U 3.482
2019-20 LIU 3.489
2018-19 Robert Morris 3.432
2017-18 Saint Francis U 3.423
2016-17 Sacred Heart 3.381
2015-16 Sacred Heart 3.331
2014-15 Sacred Heart/Wagner 3.279
2013-14 Robert Morris 3.295
2012-13 Wagner 3.305
2011-12 Robert Morris 3.279
2010-11 Saint Francis U 3.270
2009-10 Fairleigh Dickinson/Saint Francis U 3.239
2008-09 Saint Francis U 3.234
2007-08 Wagner 3.186
2006-07 Wagner 3.147
About The Northeast Conference
Now in its 42nd season, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of nine institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to a number of the largest markets in the United States including New York (#1), Boston (#9) and Hartford/New Haven (#33). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 24 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 15 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU, Merrimack, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U, Stonehill and Wagner. For more information on the NEC, visit the league’s official website official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok, all @NECsports.