ST. LOUIS -- The Elite 18 Award Program was established by the Missouri Valley Conference in the fall of 2010 to honor the highest achievement in academics and athletics by a student-athlete in each MVC-sponsored sport. Modeled after the NCAA Elite 88 Academic Recognition Award Program, the MVC Elite 18 award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average competing at the finals site at each of the MVC’s 18 team championships.

The selection process varies for each sport, and winners are chosen from a list of nominations submitted by MVC institutions. For the team sports of soccer, volleyball, basketball, tennis, baseball and softball, the winner will be chosen from the two teams participating in the championship game or match. For cross country, golf, swimming and diving, and track and field, the winners will be chosen from nominated student-athletes who have met a athletic performance threshold (for instance, in cross country, the eligible student-athletes must have finished among the top 10 at the championship meet).

Except for the fall winners, who were honored at their schools discretion, the recipients were honored during the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the championship.

The list of Elite 18 honorees is highlighted by eleven 4.00 GPA selections, with one student-athlete winning the award twice in one year. Nine of the ten Valley schools are represented.