The NCAA has announced the 42 recipients of its prestigious postgraduate scholarships for the 2024-25 academic year’s fall sports season. Each student-athlete will receive a one-time non-renewable award of $10,000 to support their graduate education at their chosen university or professional school.
Selected from a highly competitive pool of candidates across all three NCAA divisions, these recipients represent the pinnacle of student-athlete achievement both in competition and the classroom. The awards recognize those who excel academically while demonstrating outstanding athletic accomplishment and leadership qualities throughout their collegiate careers.
Academic Excellence and Notable Recipients
The scholarship recipients span Division I, II, and III institutions, with 14 student-athletes from each division earning recognition. This balanced distribution highlights the NCAA’s commitment to celebrating academic achievement regardless of athletic program size or competitive level.
Every awardee maintained at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average during their college years, and many had almost impeccable academic records. The honorees represent many scholarly fields, including engineering, biology, business, education, and pre-medical studies.
These student-athletes have shown extraordinary time management and dedication to both fields, balancing demanding athletic obligations with difficult academic programs.
From Clemson, Hogan Morton was noted for his athletic and academic prowess in football. Morton made his collegiate debut in 2023, completing his first career PAT effort after joining Clemson as a walk-on in 2021. Off the field, he has excelled academically, maintaining a 4.0 GPA as a genetics major. Morton plans to attend medical school at UAB next year.
Another football standout, Aidan Cappellino from the University of Chicago, was also among the scholarship recipients.
Christian Diederich of Minnesota-Morris earned recognition for his achievements in football and academics.
Impact of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Program
The fall sports cohort includes student-athletes from many fields who exhibit brilliance in both academics and athletics. Many of the awardees led their teams to conference and national titles or earned All-American accolades, therefore participating at championship levels. This scholarship not only honors their prior achievements but also gives them a chance to help in their particular professions outside of athletics.
Since its establishment in 1964, the NCAA’s postgraduate scholarship program has awarded more than $43 million to more than 4,000 student-athletes. The program awards up to 126 scholarships each year, split equally between the fall, winter, and spring sports seasons.
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This program supports the value of education alongside athletic performance, ensuring that student-athletes have the required assistance to flourish in their future activities as collegiate athletics keeps changing.
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