KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its academic awards for the 2023 football season. Over 400 football student-athletes from the MIAA earned academic honors, highlighted by 28 qualifying as Scholar-Athletes and 23 achieving the requirements for the Academic Excellence Award.

The prestigious Academic Excellence Award was awarded to 23 student-athletes. An MIAA Academic Excellence Award recipient must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of at least 4.00 at the certifying member institution. The honoree also must have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. The complete list of Academic Excellence members for the 2023 football season is available here.

There were 28 student-athletes who met the standards to be a Scholar-Athlete. A Scholar-Athlete is an individual that has a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.50 or better at the certifying member institution. They must have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. The student-athlete must have also earned All-MIAA honors in the 2023 season to be eligible for the honor. To see the complete list of football Scholar-Athletes from this season, click here.

The achievement of Academic Honor Roll was accomplished by 429 student-athletes with all 11 MIAA football competing institutions represented. To be recognized on the Academic Honor Roll list, one must have a grade point average used by the institution for purposes of NCAA academic certification of 3.00 or above at the certifying member institution. The individual must also have at least two terms of attendance at the certifying member institution, excluding summer terms. The complete list of Academic Honor Roll recipients for the 2023 football season is available here.

Six MIAA football student-athletes were honored with all three MIAA academic awards:
Josh Shaw – Fort Hays State, All-MIAA Third Team Offensive Lineman, 4.00 GPA
Cody Watson – Missouri Western, All-MIAA First Team Kicker, 4.00 GPA
Evan Williams – Missouri Western, All-MIAA Third Team Punter, 4.00 GPA
Kobe Clayborrne – Missouri Western, All-MIAA Second Team Defensive Lineman, 4.00 GPA
Drew Daniels – Pittsburg State, All-MIAA Honorable Mention Offensive Lineman, 4.00 GPA 
Luke Jennings – Pittsburg State, All-MIAA Honorable Mention Linebacker, 4.00 GPA