The NSIC Elite Team Award, presented by North Star Mutual recognizes outstanding team academic achievement within the conference. These teams have achieved success at the championship level in the classroom and in competition. The NSIC Elite Team Award is presented to the team with the highest cumulative team grade point average in each sponsored sport according to the following criteria. 

NSIC Elite Team Award Winners 2026-27

Selection Criteria.

• Team eligibility.
  • For sports with an NSIC championship/tournament, only teams participating at the NSIC championship/tournament finals site are eligible for the NSIC Elite Team Award.
  • For the sports of football and men’s wrestling, all teams are eligible for the NSIC Elite Team Award.
  • Affiliate members are eligible for the award.
• All active members of the team as of the first date of competition who have been at their current institution for the following period of time shall be part of the team GPA determination:
  • At the time of nomination, the student-athlete has completed at least one full academic year at their current institution (student must be in at least their third academic-year-semester at their institution).
• Each student-athlete’s grade point average utilized as part of the team GPA determination is based on the cumulative grade point average at the time of nomination as calculated by each institution. Grade point average calculations shall be based on a 4.00 scale.
  • Graduate student-athletes. If a graduate student-athlete has completed at least one semester of graduate work, their grade point average shall be based on the cumulative graduate grade point average at the time of nomination as calculated by each institution; otherwise, their cumulative undergraduate grade point average shall be utilized.
• A weighted average shall be utilized to calculate the team GPA and shall be reported out to three decimal places.