BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – Mercyhurst retained the NEC Institutional Academic Award for the 2025-26 school year, obtaining a 3.515 GPA over its 22 NEC-sponsored sports. Seven Laker squads posted the best GPA in the NEC as Mercyhurst defended the honor for the second year in a row.
 
Men's basketball, women's basketball, and women's cross country won the NEC Team GPA award for the second consecutive year while men's lacrosse, men's cross country, and men's indoor and outdoor track and field all won the award for the first time this season.
 
"Winning the NEC Institutional Academic Award for the second consecutive year is a tremendous source of pride for our entire Mercyhurst community," said Joe Spano, Mercyhurst Director of Athletics. "As we continue our transition to Division I, this recognition demonstrates that academic excellence remains at the heart of everything we do. Our student-athletes, coaches, academic support staff, and faculty have embraced the challenge of competing at the highest level while maintaining a commitment to success in the classroom. To lead the conference in overall GPA and earn seven team academic awards speaks to the culture of excellence that defines Mercyhurst Athletics."
 
Mercyhurst's commitment to academic excellence was evident across the board, with all 22 NEC-sponsored teams posting GPAs of at least 3.0 and 11 finishing at 3.5 or above.
 
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 25 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, men's and 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.