BOSTON – Following an impressive 2025-26 academic year, America East student-athletes posted the second-highest cumulative GPA in league history, while Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont all shared the Walter Harrison Academic Cup with an impressive 3.53 GPA.
As a group America East student-athletes posted a 3.45 GPA, the second-highest average in league history and just behind last year’s 3.46 GPA. For the second straight year and second time in conference history all nine institutions claimed institutional GPA’s of at least 3.35. Also for just the second time in league history, all 18 America East sponsored sports had an average GPA of over 3.0.
Vermont earned at least a share of its fourth straight Academic and secured its record 12th overall. New Hampshire last won the Academic Cup in 2021-22 while Maine secured it most recently in 2020-21. The 3.53 GPA is just off the record of 3.54 which the Catamounts set last year. NJIT ranked fourth with a 3.49 GPA, while UAlbany was fifth with a 3.44 GPA and UMass Lowell took sixth with a 3.42 GPA.
“I continue to be inspired by the academic excellence of our student-athletes, who posted the second-highest cumulative GPA in league history with a 3.45 this past year,” said America East Commissioner Brad Walker. “We’re proud that all nine of our institutions posted GPAs of 3.35 or higher and this achievement reflects how seriously we take the ‘student’ in student-athlete in the America East.”
The Academic Cup, established by the America East Board of Directors in 1995, is presented to the institution whose America East student-athletes post the highest grade-point average during that academic year. The award was named for long time University of Hartford President, Walter Harrison, in 2017.
Academic Cup Highlights
- Vermont was won 12 Academic Cups, followed by New Hampshire which just claimed its eighth.
- This year’s three-way tie is the first in league history. There have been three previous two-way ties, as Hartford and New Hampshire tied in 2021-22, 2016-17 and 2014-15.
- All nine America East institutions averaged at least a 3.35 GPA, marking the second time in conference history all league schools have earned at least a 3.30.
- Vermont had eight programs earn at least a 3.50 GPA, led by women’s cross country (3.75), women’s soccer (3.72), women’s swimming & diving (3.71) and women’s basketball (3.68).
- Eight New Hampshire programs secured at least a 3.50 GPA, led by women’s track & field (3.72), women’s cross country (3.70) and volleyball (3.69).
- Maine had eight programs with at least a 3.50, led by field hockey with a league-best 3.83 GPA. Women’s basketball and women’s soccer each had 3.77 GPA’s.
- NJIT had each of its programs earn at least a 3.30 GPA, the only school in the conference and the first school since Maine in 2020-21 to accomplish that feat.
- In addition to Vermont,
- Maine field hockey posted the highest GPA of any program with a 3.83, followed by UAlbany women’s basketball (3.81), Maine women’s basketball (3.77), Maine women’s soccer (3.77) and Vermont cross country (3.75).
- Women’s swimming & diving posted the highest GPA of any sport with a 3.65, while women’s cross country earned a 3.64. Women’s soccer was third with a 3.63 GPA, while field hockey was fourth with a 3.61 GPA.
- For the first time since 2020-21 and only the second time in league history each America East sponsored sport earned at least a 3.0 GPA.
- This marks the 20th consecutive year with America East student-athletes averaging at least a 3.0 GPA.
Sport GPA Champions
- Baseball – UMass Lowell (3.53)
- Men’s Basketball – NJIT (3.46)
- Women’s Basketball – UAlbany (3.81)
- Men’s Cross Country – New Hampshire (3.66)
- Women’s Cross Country – Vermont (3.75)
- Field Hockey – Maine (3.83 – 6th straight year taking first)
- Men’s Lacrosse – UMass Lowell (3.57 – 3rd straight taking first)
- Women’s Lacrosse – Bryant (3.71)
- Men’s Soccer – UAlbany (3.63 – 4th straight year taking first)
- Women’s Soccer – Maine (3.77 – AE champion)
- Softball – UAlbany (3.70)
- Men’s Swimming and Diving – Binghamton (3.43)
- Women’s Swimming and Diving – Vermont (3.71)
- Men’s Track and Field – New Hampshire (3.55)
- Women’s Track and Field – New Hampshire (3.72)
- Volleyball – New Hampshire (3.69)
ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference and its social media channels, @AmericaEast.
- America East Conference – Where Champions Rise -