NCAA AASP awards over $1.5 million for student-athlete academic success

The NCAA has announced the 17 schools that received its Division I Accelerating Academic Success Program grants for the 2024-25 academic year. The grants total over $1.5 million and are used to boost student-athlete academic achievement.

Established in 2012, the program awards over $1 million annually to Division I colleges and universities that meet grant qualifications for the support of their academic initiatives to help increase the graduation rates of student-athletes. The AASP grants are an example of how the NCAA and its member schools invest in academic support and success of student-athletes. 

“This is always an exciting time of the year — to congratulate and highlight our Accelerating Academic Success Program recipients,” said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement. “Each campus recipient is intentional with their application by clearly stating a commitment to invest in and to evolve services to support student athletes’ educational experience and their academic success.” 

Schools have used AASP grants in numerous ways to help student-athletes, including upgrading athletic academic tutoring centers; offering professional development for staff working on student-athlete academic success; funding computers and other technology resources and upgrades; providing student-athlete tutorial resources; and implementing student-athlete career development opportunities. 

A selection committee composed of representatives from past AASP NCAA member colleges and universities reviews the grant applications and awards the funding annually. To be eligible for AASP grants, schools must be identified as having limited resources based on research data and must either be in the Football Championship Subdivision or not sponsor a football program. Schools may request up to $100,000 and are required to match at least 20% of the awarded amount. Additionally, the committee honors two student-athletes who are from AASP grant recipient schools with an invitation to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum.  

The AASP program supports school efforts to meet the requirements of the Division I Academic Performance Program. Division I student-athletes are graduating at record rates, according to 2023 Graduation Success Rate data. The overall single-cohort graduation rate is at 91%, which is the highest rate recorded.  

The 17 schools that will receive AASP grants for the 2024-25 academic year are:

• Alabama State University — $100,000.
• Austin Peay State University — $100,000.
• Coppin State University — $100,000.
• Florida A&M University — $87,000.
• Houston Christian University — $31,587.
• Lamar University — $100,000.
• La Salle University — $100,000.
• Long Beach State University — $100,000.
• Mississippi Valley State University — $94,000.
• University of New Orleans — $99,400.
• Northwestern State University — $100,000.
• Saint Peter’s University — $100,000.
• South Carolina State University — $100,000.
• University of South Carolina Upstate — $58,840.
• Tennessee State University — $100,000.
• Texas Southern University — $100,000.
• Western Illinois University — $88,551.