The Elite 90 award, founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA’s
championships. Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling and competing at the championship.
Nigel Williams-Goss, a junior at Gonzaga, is the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The award honors the student-athlete who has the highest cumulative grade-point average participating in the NCAA Final Four. Williams-Goss leads the athletes at the NCAA Tournament final site in Glendale with a 3.84 GPA. The athletes’ GPAs are based on the NCAA’s straight grading scale to ensure fairness across all the schools. Ties were awarded to the student with more credits completed.
