ALISO VIEJO, Calif. - A total of 570 student-athletes representing eight California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) institutions were recognized as recipients of the 2025-26 Division 2 Athletics Directors Association (D2 ADA) Academic Achievement Awards.
Cal State San Marcos led the CCAA with 99 Academic Achievement Award recipients. Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State Monterey Bay tied for second with 84 honorees apiece, while Cal State Dominguez Hills followed with 67. San Francisco State (65), Stanislaus State (63), Cal State LA (56) and UC Merced (52) rounded out the CCAA institutions represented on the list. Every participating conference institution had at least 50 student-athletes earn the award.
The recognition marks UC Merced's first appearance among the CCAA's D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award totals after completing its first academic year as a conference member.
The D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards are in their 19th year and recognize the academic accomplishments of NCAA Division II student-athletes competing in NCAA championship-sponsored sports. More than 21,000 student-athletes from 179 institutions earned recognition in 2025-26, bringing the all-time number of award recipients to 211,256 since the program's inception.
"In year 19, this program continues its dedication to celebrating the exceptional student-athletes who define excellence across our Division II landscape," said Jenn Bell, associate vice president and director of athletics at Converse University and current D2 ADA President.
To qualify for the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, completed a minimum of two years (four semesters) of college-level work and been an active member of an intercollegiate team during the previous academic year. The student-athlete's athletics director must also be a current dues-paying member of the D2 ADA.
Fresno Pacific and Menlo, which officially joined the CCAA on July 1, were recognized as members of the Pacific West Conference for the 2025-26 awards. Menlo had 119 student-athletes recognized and Fresno Pacific added 101, giving the CCAA's two newest members another 220 Academic Achievement Award recipients.
| 2025-26 D2 ADA Academic Achievement Awards - CCAA |
| Institution |
Honorees |
| Cal State San Marcos |
99 |
| Cal Poly Pomona |
84 |
| Cal State Monterey Bay |
84 |
| Cal State Dominguez Hills |
67 |
| San Francisco State |
65 |
| Stanislaus State |
63 |
| Cal State LA |
56 |
| UC Merced |
52 |
| CCAA Total |
570 |