Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) announced the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Team Scholar All-America Awards, where Arizona State claimed the top spot with a team GPA of 3.689827.
Top five programs by GPA
- Arizona State University - 3.689827
- Brown University - 3.6825
- Duke University - 3.678821
- University of Missouri - 3.669904
- Harvard University - 3.658433
"Arizona State continues to set the standard for excellence on the mat and in the classroom," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "This recognition reflects their commitment to academic success and team culture."
The Sun Devils saw 27 student-athletes earn a 3.0 GPA or better, with 12 named to the Dean’s List (3.50 GPA), two finishing with a 4.0 GPA and three completing master’s programs.
“Reaching this milestone was always one of the lifetime goals of the program,” said head coach Zeke Jones. “Congratulations to Denzel (Burrell), Lee (Pritts) and all of the coaches, wrestlers, and staff who did the work to put us in position to have the highest GPA of any team in the nation. We put in the work with study halls on the road, weekends, academic meetings, and a relentless pursuit of doing our school work diligently,” he added.
“Its always been our goal to see our young men become the ultimate student athletes. Do it in the classroom, on the mat, and in life. This exemplifies that we’re doing that. We’ll continue to strive in all areas. We’ll always remain grateful for the opportunity ASU has given us to strive for our goals rooted in a strong brotherhood that makes us Sun Devil Wrestling,” Jones closed with.
An additional 10 student-athletes were recognized as Scholar All-Americans, which was tied for the most in the country alongside Missouri. Six of the 10 wrestlers were NCAA qualifiers: Colton Hawks, Kaleb Larkin, Pierson Manville, Nicco Ruiz, David Szuba and Cael Valencia. The scholar awards follow the conclusion of the NCAA Division I Men’s Championships, where Szuba and Ruiz earned All-American honors.
Sun Devil Scholar All-Americans
Shay Addison, Marketing (Digital)
Benji Alanis, Liberal Studies
Colton Hawks, Non-degree seeking
Kaleb Larkin, Computer Science
Pierson Manville, Business (Business Admin)
Chance Mclane, Real Estate
Nicco Ruiz, Political Science
David Szuba, Emergency Management and Homeland Security
Cael Valencia, Artificial Intelligence in Business
An’ee Vigil, Liberal Studies
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