CLEVELAND, Ohio – For the sixth time in program history, Bowling Green State University has been named the winner of the 2025-26 Mid-American Conference Institutional Academic Achievement Award. The Falcons posted an overall athletic grade point average (GPA) of 3.564 for the 2025-26 academic year based on 387 student-athletes.

With the honor, Bowling Green becomes the first institution in Mid-American Conference history to claim the Men’s Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) Academic Achievement Award, Women’s FAR Academic Achievement Award and Institutional Academic Achievement Award in the same academic year.

Bowling Green posted the highest GPA in the MAC in four sports during the 2025-26 academic year: men’s cross country (3.721), women’s cross country (3.857), women’s swimming & diving (3.774) and women’s track & field (3.658).

"It is an honor to be the first school in MAC history to complete the academic Triple Crown, winning the women’s FAR award, the men’s FAR award and now the Institutional award,” said BGSU Director of Athletics Derek van der Merwe. “This award is a reflection of the continued commitment of our student-athletes, coaches, faculty, and staff to the academic mission of Bowling Green State University as well as the Falcon Commitment. We are proud of the culture of excellence that has been established at BGSU and repeating with this award of a direct byproduct of that culture. Success in the classroom not only elevates the student-athlete experience but also positions our graduates to thrive long after their time at Bowling Green."

The Institutional Academic Achievement Award is presented annually to the MAC institution that achieves the highest overall institutional GPA for student-athletes competing in institutionally sponsored sports during the academic year.