UIW Student-Athletes Earn High Academic Award in Southland Conference

UIW Awarded Academic Performance Award for 2025-26

The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) is proud to announce that it has been awarded the Southland Conference Academic Performance Award for the incredible work UIW student-athletes have achieved in the classroom. This award means that UIW is now the first ever Southland Conference institution to collect all three major Southland Conference awards for achievement in academics, in community service and in competition.

UIW was awarded the Commissioner's Cup for achievement on the field of play in 2021-22 and 2022-23. UIW earned the conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Serves award for service in the community in 2021-22, 2023-24 and 2024-25. And now UIW student-athletes completed the trifecta by earning the Academic Performance Award this year.

"While we strive in all ways to develop exceptional student-athletes, our greater work is to provide transformative Catholic education that supports their comprehensive development as exceptional people," says Dr. Thomas M. Evans, UIW president. "I am deeply proud of our Cardinals for their academic excellence, the great care they show for their communities and their dedication to their teams and the spirit of Division 1 athletics."

The Southland Conference Academic Performance Award is presented annually to the member institution with the highest single year NCAA Academic Progress Rate. UIW currently has 530 athletes competing in 25 sports.

"At the University of the Incarnate Word, we strive to be champions in the classroom, the community and in competition… or the three C's as we call them," says Dr. Richard Duran, UIW athletics director. "This latest accolade is more proof positive that we continue to be on the right track. I would like to thank all the faculty, staff and academic advisors who made this award possible. But most of all, I want to acknowledge our student-athletes themselves, and their families, for putting in the tireless work to achieve great things and succeed both on and off the field of play."

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