Trevecca Nazarene University Athletics remains among the top 10 best-performing athletic departments nationally, based on the NCAA's annual Academic Success Rate (ASR) report released this week. The Trojans earned a ranking of ninth among 307 Division II schools with a 93 percent ASR. In each of the 13 years since the school joined the NCAA, Trevecca has earned a national ranking with an ASR above 90 percent.
Trevecca Athletic Director Mark Elliott, said, "In our motto of Christian-Scholar-Athlete, 'Christian' comes first. But holding the middle ground of those three words is 'Scholar.' This significant academic achievement by our athletes is shared by the partnership of our coaches, professors and academic support personnel. It is another example of how this philosophy has become an expectation within our university community."
Trevecca President Dr. Dan Boone affirmed Elliott's work to create a culture of spiritual, academic and athletic growth for Trojan athletes.
"In a changing world where college athletes are being dazzled by NIL dollars, we continue to emphasize the foundational values that are worth more than gold – Christian, Scholar, Athlete," Boone said. "These three aspirations are the foundation for a life of significance. I am deeply proud of Mark Elliott and his team of leaders, and of these athletes who reflect our values as a Christian university in the heart of Nashville."
Trevecca was also one of 43 schools to earn the President's Award for Academic Excellence, an honor awarded to Division II schools that have achieved an Academic Success Rate of 90 percent or higher. This marks the sixth consecutive year, and seventh overall, that the Trojans have earned that designation from the NCAA.
Professor Jon Burch, Trevecca's faculty athletic representative, works closely with athletic director Mark Elliott, the leadership team and the Trojan coaches to provide student athletes opportunities for academic success. Burch noted the intentional effort behind this academic marker being reached again.
"Trevecca has developed a culture of excellence in the classroom," he said. "To be recognized once is an honor, but to enshrine academic excellence as a foundational pillar of our athletic program is life-changing for many student athletes. I couldn't be prouder of everyone who makes this possible on a daily basis."
Three Trojan teams had a 100 percent Academic Success Rating – women's golf, softball and women's soccer. It was the second year in a row that those three teams earned perfect ASR scores. Nine of the eleven Trojan teams eligible for consideration achieved an ASR of at least 90 percent.
"We are incredibly proud of this ranking as it represents the discipline beyond athletic competition," Trevecca Provost and Senior Vice President Dr. Tom Middendorf said. "Our student athletes are leaders in the classroom and on the field. They are the true embodiment of our athletic mission statement of Christan-SCHOLAR-Athlete."
The latest NCAA national rankings are based on the 2014-17 four-year cohort. The Academic Success Rate is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial collegiate enrollment, including those transferring to another institution while in good academic standing.
The Trojans' highest ranking to date came from the 2012-2015 four-year cohort, with a fifth-place national ranking and an ASR of 97 percent.
Trevecca joined the Gulf South Conference prior to the fall 2024 athletic season, and in the new rankings has earned the highest ASR score among all schools in the GSC. The Trojans were members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference during the assessment period.