Marshall University Athletics
Marshall Student-Athletes Earn 288 Sun Belt Academic Honors
8/21/2026 12:00:00 PM | General, Buck Harless Student Athlete Program, Student-Athlete Success
Herd has SBC-best four programs lead respective sports in Overall Team GPA
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University's student-athletes earned 288 Academic Awards from the Sun Belt Conference for the 2025-26 school year, the conference announced on Friday.
Marshall Athletics also had an SBC-leading four programs earn the top Overall Team GPA for their respective sport. Those sports included Women's Golf (3.95), Women's Soccer (3.77), Women's Basketball (3.60) and Football (3.22).
"Our goal is to pursue excellence and win in everything we do, and these results show that our student-athletes are embracing that standard in the classroom," said Gerald Harrison, Marshall's Vice President and Director of Athletics. "Having four programs lead the Sun Belt Conference is Team GPA is an academic championship worth celebrating. I am incredibly proud of our student-athletes and grateful to the dedicated staff in our Student-Athlete Success Center who support them every step of the way. This is the Herd Mentality in action and another great example of why it is always a great day to Run with the Herd!"
In addition to having four teams top the Sun Belt in their respective sports in Team GPA, one of the most impressive accomplishments from the 2025-26 academic year included having 17 student-athletes earn the 1A FAR Academic Award.
This award is given to student-athletes who earned their Bachelor's Degree from Sept. 1, 2025 to Aug. 30, 2026 and maintained a 3.8 grade point average or better. Participation in at least two years of athletic competition at an FBS school is also a requirement for the award.
Those 17 individuals represented 15 different programs with the Thundering Herd, showing that elite academic success was spread across the athletics landscape.
Of the 288 awards earned by Marshall's student-athletes, 176 of them were for those named to the SBC Commissioner's List, which honors student-athletes who maintained a 3.5 grade point average or better during the 2025-26 academic year.
Another 95 Marshall student-athletes were named to the SBC Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes those who maintained a 3.0 to 3.49 grade point average for the 2025-26 academic year.
"I am incredibly proud of our student-athletes and academic staff on their continued commitment to excellence," said Kaylyn Torain, Marshall's Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services. "Leading the Sun Belt Conference in Team GPA in four sports and earning numerous academic honors is a reflection of the hard work, dedication and support that goes into academic success at Marshall."
SBC-Leading Team GPAs
Women's Golf – 3.95
Women's Soccer – 3.77
Women's Basketball – 3.60
Football – 3.22
1A Far Academic Excellence Award
Elli Barry, Women's Volleyball
Kajsa Ekstrom, Women's Soccer
Bella Gerlach, Softball
Jessica Humby, Women's Swim & Dive
Daniel Rose, Men's Soccer
Haleigh Adkins, Softball
Jack Betz, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Asha Bora, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
Abbey Bull, Women's Golf
Abby Darnley, Softball
John Duvall, Men's Cross Country/Track & Field
Maya Hunt, Volleyball
Cameron Jarvis, Men's Golf
Blessing King, Women's Basketball
Luke Proehl, Baseball
Bella Thompson, Volleyball
Hannah Wyler, Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
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