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Voting Criteria and Awards Distribution

All current dues-paying members of CSC who are eligible (Individual membership, Conference All-In membership, University/College All-In membership) are encouraged to vote for Academic All-America teams within your division. Members of the Academic All-America Core Committee, the Academic All-America Hall of Fame Committee, the Executive Board of Directors and CSC national staff will vote for Academic All-America teams in every division.

Proper naming
Academic All-America® should only be used in reference to student-athletes who make one of the national teams. Refrain from using any variations from these standards when publicizing these awards. It is also appropriate to refer to an honoree as an Academic All-American.

The following are examples of proper naming conventions:
  • First Team Academic All-District®
  • Second Team Academic All-District®
  • Third Team Academic All-District®
  • First Team Academic All-America®
  • Second Team Academic All-America®
  • Third Team Academic All-America®
  • Academic All-America Team Member of the Year (Sport/division specific)
  • Overall Academic All-American® of the Year (Overall divisional winner)

Team selection procedures

All eligible nominees will receive Academic All-District® recognition. Academic All-District® digital certificates will be available to the nominating CSC member, via a downloadable certificate template. CSC members are encouraged to use a high-quality paper stock for these Academic All-District downloadable certificates.

CSC members have the option to submit their student-athletes for the Academic All-District honor and/or provide additional nomination information to have them considered to advance to the Academic All-American national ballot. Once you submit a student-athlete for Academic All-America consideration, their candidacy will be evaluated by a sub-committee with sport expertise to ensure that only the top student-athletes are elevated to the national voting ballot. 

These sub-committees will feature members of the Academic All-America core committee and CSC members who are provided guidelines to assist with decisions and determine the appropriate number of student-athletes to advance.

Only a select group of student-athletes advance from Academic All-District submission status to the Academic All-America ballot. Due to the nomination timeframes which mirror post-seasons in most sports, there is no opportunity to update AAA nominations taking place once the CSC members submit their nominations.

The national ballot is typically open for one week per the AAA important dates calendar. All CSC members are urged to vote for Academic All-America® teams within their division.

It is incumbent upon CSC members to nominate the most outstanding student-athletes at their institution based on these nominating procedures and criteria. NO late nominations will be considered.
 

Awards distribution
 
Academic All-District® Honors
Honorees All eligible nominees will receive Academic All-District® recognition.
 
Awards Academic All-District® digital certificates will be available to the nominating CSC member via a DOWNLOAD.
If you have an Academic All-District honoree, please make sure to download the 2025-26 Academic All-District® Certificate (you may customize this template for your student-athlete and print it on high-quality stock).
Only student-athletes who have been named to the Academic All-District as listed on AcademicAllAmerica.com should be promoted as having earned the honor.
 
 
Academic All-America® Honors
Honorees
  • First, Second and Third Team Academic All-America Teams are announced in NCAA Divisions I, II and III.
  • First and Second Academic All-America Teams will be announced for the NAIA.
  • First Team and Second Team Academic All-America Teams will be announced in the College Division (Two-Year Colleges, Canadian institutions, and institutions not affiliated with the NCAA or NAIA).
Awards
  • One acrylic plaque with an embossed certificate, provided by CSC, will be sent to the attention of the nominating CSC member for each honoree on the first, second, or third team Academic All-America selection.
  • Institutions have the option to purchase additional awards at its discretion and cost (award cost plus all shipping costs).
    Please use this link to order additional award or awards, knowing that the institution or individual is responsible for full payment of the award and its shipping costs: https://aaa.levyrecognition.com/
Who Votes?
  • Current dues-paying CSC members, with an Individual Membership, Conference All-In Membership, or a University/College All-In Membership are eligible to vote within their own division.
  • Academic All-America Core Committee, Academic All-America Hall of Fame Committee, Executive Board of Directors, and CSC National Staff vote in all divisions.
  
Academic All-America Team Member of the Year Honors (Sport/division specific)
Honorees For each sport contest, an Academic All-America Team Member of the Year will be chosen in each sport category for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 
Awards One engraved desk award will be sent to the nominating CSC member.
 
Who Votes?
  • Current dues-paying CSC members, with an Individual Membership, Conference All-In Membership, or a University/College All-In Membership are eligible to vote within their own division.
  • Academic All-America Core Committee, Academic All-America Hall of Fame Committee, Executive Board of Directors, and CSC National Staff vote in all divisions.
  
Overall Academic All-American® of the Year Honors (Overall divisional winner)
Honorees At the conclusion of each academic year, all Academic All-America Team Member of the Year honorees in the NCAA and NAIA divisions are eligible for the Overall Academic All-American of the Year for their respective divisions. This elite honor recognizes the top student-athlete in each of these four divisions.
 
Awards One engraved crystal desk award will be sent to the nominating CSC member.
 
Who Votes? Academic All-America® Core Committee, Academic All-America Hall of Fame Committee, Executive Board of Directors and CSC National Staff.