The Elite 26 Award recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete at the conference championship level in his or her sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or peers. Introduced in 2020-21, the Elite 26 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating from a conference championship-qualifying program for each of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference’s 26 championship events

The award initially started as the Elite 23 before the addition of men's and women's bowling championship offerings through a collaborative partnership with Conference Carolinas for the 2021-22 academic year changed to Elite 25. In the 2022-23 academic year, the addition of a STUNT championship changed the award to the Elite 26. 

The honorees must be actively able to compete at the finals site, of sophomore eligibility and in at least their second year with their current institution. Each institution is permitted to nominate one eligible student-athlete per sport during the awards process that is mirrored specifically to the NCAA's Elite 90 Award. 

Each eligible individual can receive the award up to one time during the current active academic year. 

2024-25 Great Midwest Elite 26 Award Winners

Men's Cross Country	Lucas Keverkamp	Walsh University	Senior	Exercise Science, Pre PT
Women's Cross Country	Kylee Gray	Malone University	Junior	Early Childhood Education
Men's Soccer	Felix Graf	Tiffin University	Senior	Sports Marketing
Women's Soccer	Kiara McMillan	Walsh University	Senior	Psychology Community/Clinical
Football	Luke Iden	Thomas More University	Junior	Biochemistry
Volleyball	Kenzie McConnell	Ashland University	Senior	Exercise Science
Wrestling	Jakob Hurley	Tiffin University	Junior	Law Enforcement
Men's Swimming & Diving	Randy Keener	University of Findlay	Junior	Computer Science - Mathematics
Women's Swimming & Diving	Mille Berg	University of Findlay	Senior	Computer Science- Business
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Gabe Clement	University of Findlay	Senior	Middle Childhood Education
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Isabelle Rammell	Walsh University	Senior	Government & Foreign Affairs
Men's Basketball	Jacob Meyer	Hillsdale College	Junior	Financial Management
Women's Basketball	Maddie Voelker	Northwood University	Senior	Healthcare Management
Women's Bowling	Maggie Lewis	Walsh University	Senior	Clinical Laboratory Studies
Men's Bowling	C.J. Herbers	Thomas More University	Sophomore	Accounting
STUNT	Mya Bowles	Ashland University	Senior	Marketing
Men's Golf	Jonah Graham	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Senior	Fitness & Sports Management
Women's Golf	Mary Kelly Mulcahy	University of Findlay	Senior	Business Administration
Men's Tennis	Lukas Kohler	Walsh University	Junior	Management
Women's Tennis	Rachel Kibler	Walsh University	Junior	Exercise Science / OT
Men's Lacrosse	Logan Wilmot	Northwood University	Sophomore	Aftermarket Management
Women's Lacrosse	Ashley Drexler	Ashland University	Sophomore	Exercise Science
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Dhiren Brickman	Ashland University	Junior	Computer Science
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Nicole Marshall	Hillsdale College	Senior	Biochemistry
Softball	Halyn Cawthorne	Malone University	Junior	Sports Management
Baseball	Ty Hatfield	Tiffin University	Graduate	Accounting

2023-24 Great Midwest Elite 26 Award Winners

Men's Cross Country	Caleb Yun	Cedarville University	Sophomore	Nursing
Women's Cross Country	Kendall Anenson	Malone University	Senior	Biochemistry
Men's Soccer	Teddy Togliatti	Ashland University	Junior	Biology
Women's Soccer	Kiara McMillan	Walsh University	Senior	Psychology
Football	Jordan Speller	Tiffin University	Senior	Education
Volleyball	Taylor Thompson	University of Findlay	Junior	Physical Therapy
Wrestling	Gavin Ritter	University of Findlay	Senior	Education
Men's Swimming & Diving	Randy Keener	University of Findlay	Sophomore	Computer Science
Women's Swimming & Diving	Millie Berg	Universiety of Findlay	Junior	Computer Science
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Jake Price	Tiffin University	Junior	Sports Marketing
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Isabelle Rammell	Walsh University	Senior	Government and Foreign Affairs
Men's Basketball	Jacob Meyer	Hillsdale College	Sophomore	Undecided
Women's Basketball	Maddie Voelker	Northwood University	Junior	Healthcare Management
STUNT	Mya Bowles	Ashland University	Junior	Marketing
Men's Golf	Donnie Professori	University of Findlay	Senor	Business Administration
Women's Golf	Abbey Dillon	Ohio Dominican University	Senior	Psychology
Men's Tennis	Lukas Kohler	Walsh University	Sophomore	Business Management
Women's Tennis	Rachel Kibler	Walsh University	Junior	Excercise Science- Pre OT
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Benjamin Place	Cedarville University	Senior	Molecular Biology
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Paige Emnett	University of Findlay	5th Year	Intervention Specialist
Softball	Bailey Hamilton	Tiffin University	Exercise Science	Graduate Student
Men's Lacrosse	Matt Bagatta	Walsh University	Master of Business Administration	Junor
Women's Lacrosse	Jenay Rennie	Tiffin University	Health, Fitness, and Wellness	Senior
Baseball	Ty Hatfield	Tiffin University	Accounting	Senior

2022-23 Great Midwest Elite 26 Award Winners

Men's Cross Country	Noah Blaz	Malone University	Sophomore	Data Analytics and Sports Management
Women's Cross Country	Bridget Hahn	Walsh University	Junior	Accounting and Theology
Volleyball	Mallory Delamarter	Cedarville University	Senior	Accounting
Men's Soccer	Brendan Ash	University of Findlay	Sophomore	Animal Science
Women's Soccer	Nikki Schuster	University of Findlay	Graduate Student	Early Childhood Education
Football	Jordan Speller	Tiffin University	Junior	Education
Men's Swimming & Diving	Josh Hagan	Ashland University	Junior	Actuarial Science & Mathematics
Women's Swimming & Diving	Mille Berg	University of Findlay	Sophomore	Computer & Information Sciences
Wrestling	Brandon Mendoza	Tiffin University	Senior	Health, Fitness, & Wellness
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Drew Roberts	Walsh University	Junior	Accounting
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Paige Emnett	University of Findlay	Senior	Education
Men's Basketball	Garrison Keeslar	Walsh University	Junior	Data Analytics
Women's Basketball	Reeva Hammelman	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Senior	Excercise Science
Men's Bowling	Jordan Norris	Walsh University	Junior	Early Childhood Education
Women's Bowling	Lauren Meagher	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Senior	Chemistry
Men's Tennis	Octavio Carrasco	University of Findlay	Graduate	Masters in Business Administration
Women's Tennis	Chiarra Wolff	Walsh University	Junior	Chemistry
Men's Golf	Evan Johnson	Northwood University	Sophomore	Finance
Women's Golf	Abby Dillon	Ohio Dominican University	Junior	Psychology
Women's Lacrosse	Sidney Klinger	Walsh University	Sophomore	Actuarial Science
Men's Lacrosse	Charles Williams	Walsh University	Senior	Computer Science
STUNT	Juliana Le-Quay	Hiram College	Junio	Neuroscience
Men's Outoor Track & Field	Max Gucker	Malone University	Junior	Integrated Social Studies & History
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Kendall Anenson	Malone University	Junior	Biochemistry and Exercise Science
Softball	Sydney McCormick	Trevecca Nazarene University	Senior	Sports Management
Baseball	Brody Ware	Walsh University	Senior	Finance

2021-22 Great Midwest Elite 25 Award Winners

Men's Cross Country	Jacob Zinn	Tiffin University	Senior	Cyber Security & Forensics
Women's Cross Country	Shannon Ruble	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Junior	Zoology
Volleyball	Mya Linder	Ohio Dominican University	Junior	Biology
Men's Soccer	Declan Lehmann	Tiffin University	Sophomore	Sports Management
Women's Soccer	Nikki Schuster	University of Findlay	Senior	Early Childhood Education
Football	Evan Ernst	Ohio Dominican University	Senior	Finance / MBA
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Max Gucker	Malone University	Sophomore	Integrated Social Studies & History
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Rachel Sweeney	Cedarville University	Grad	Pharmaceutical Science
Men's Basketball	Jacob Drees	Cedarville University	Junior	Finance
Women's Basketball	Nikki Weber	Malone University	Junior	Primary Childhood Education
Men's Swimming & Diving	Matt Filsinger	Ashland University	Grad	MBA
Women's Swimming & Diving	Cecilia Guadalupi	Hillsdale College	Freshman	Undeclared
Men's Bowling	Jordan Norris	Walsh University	Sophomore	Education
Women's Bowling	Lauren Meagher	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Junior	Chemistry
Men's Tennis	Octavio Carrasco	University of Findlay	Junior	Business Administration
Women's Tennis	Luciana Pereya	University of Findlay	Grad	Business Administration
Men's Lacrosse	Chase Williams	Walsh University	Freshman	Computer Science
Women's Lacrosse	Hannah McFeeters	Walsh University	Junior	Communications
Men's Golf	Nico Kyprian	Tiffin University	Grad	Management / Human Resources
Women's Golf	Lucille Petkac	Ursuline College	Sophomore
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Jacob Zinn	Tiffin University	Junior	Cyber Security & Digital Forensics
Women's Outdoor Track and Field	Rachel Sweeney	Cedarville University	Grad	Pharmaceutical Science
Softball	Sarah Klein	Tiffin University	Senior	Management / Leadership Change
Baseball	Thomas Thamann	Tiffin University	Sophomore	Sports Management
Wrestling	Bryan LaVearn	Tiffin University	Senior	Homeland Security / Terrorism

2020-21 Great Midwest Elite 23 Award Winners

Men's Cross Country	Jacob Zinn	Tiffin University	Junior	Cyber Security & Digital Forensics
Women's Cross Country	Julia Losasso	Walsh University	Senior	Pre-Law
Wrestling	Nicholas Smythe	Tiffin University	Senior	Accounting
Men's Indoor Track & Field	Micah McKanna	Cedarville University	Senior	Visual Communication Design
Women's Indoor Track & Field	Lindsey Bishop	Cedarville University	Junior	Linguistics
Men's Basketball	Trent Miller	University of Findlay	Sophomore	Economics & Finance
Women's Basketball	Nikki Weber	Malone University	Sophomore	Intervention Specialist & Early Childhood Education
Volleyball	Mallory Delamarter	Cedarville University	Sophomore	Accounting
Men's Swimming & Diving	Dalton Shevlin	University of Findlay	Senior	Biology
Women's Swimming & Diving	Brette Klopp	University of Findlay	Senior	Early Childhood Education
Men's Golf	Nico Kyprian	Tiffin University	Senior	Marketing
Women's Golf	Emily Koehler	Tiffin University	Senior	Sports Marketing
Men's Tennis	Clemens Wagner	Walsh University	Senior	Business Management
Women's Tennis	Parvanee Karimpour	Walsh University	Senior	Biology (Pre-Med)
Men's Soccer	Zach Akin	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Senior	History
Women's Soccer	Lauryn Grcic	Tiffin University	Senior	Forensic Science
Softball	Lauren Bennett	Malone University	Sophomore	Early Childhood Education
Men's Lacrosse	Joshua Miller	Seton Hill University	Senior	Computer Science / Cybersecurity
Women's Lacrosse	Hannah McFeeters	Walsh University	Junior	Government & Foreign Affairs and Communications
Football	Wiley Cain	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Junior	Biology & Business Administration
Baseball	Jackson Lee	Cedarville University	Sophomore	Sports Business Management
Men's Outdoor Track & Field	Hunter Kurz	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Junior	Chemistry
Women's Outdoor Track & Field	Alyssa Viscounte	Walsh University	Senior	Community Clinical and Psychology