Delta State Athletics celebrates the achievements, contributions, and milestones of Statesmen and Lady Statesmen student-athletes, teams, alumni, faculty, staff, and supporters through departmental recognitions and annual awards.
RECOGNITIONS
Framed Varsity Letter “D”
Delta State Athletics recognizes student-athletes completing their collegiate athletics eligibility with a framed varsity letter “D.”
The framed “D” is presented to each current student-athlete who is exhausting his or her intercollegiate athletics eligibility with the current season. The recognition is typically presented at the program’s final regular-season home competition.
Each eligible student-athlete receives the framed varsity letter “D” one time per sport.
Graduating Student-Athlete Collage
Delta State Athletics recognizes graduating student-athletes with a special Delta State Athletics collage commemorating their achievements in the classroom. The collage is a work of art by former Statesman baseball great Bryan Rodgers.
The collage is presented annually at the Green & White Awards to current student-athletes who graduated from Delta State University during the preceding August or December term or who have applied to graduate in May.
Each eligible student-athlete receives the graduating student-athlete collage one time.
CHAMPS Cup
Delta State Athletics recognizes the intercollegiate athletics program that demonstrates an outstanding commitment to community service, campus engagement, and service to others with the CHAMPS Cup.
The CHAMPS Cup is a year-long competition among Delta State's intercollegiate athletics programs, with programs earning points throughout the academic year through community service, campus participation, and engagement activities.
The program accumulating the highest number of points is recognized annually at the Green & White Awards and awarded the CHAMPS Cup, a perpetual trophy that remains with the winning program until the following year's recipient is determined.
STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARDS
Top Newcomer Award
The Top Newcomer Award is presented annually by each Delta State Athletics program to a student-athlete who has made an outstanding impact during his or her initial season with the program.
Eligible student-athletes may include freshmen or transfer student-athletes, provided the current season is their first season of participation with the Delta State program.
Recipients are selected based on athletic performance, impact on team success, and sportsmanship.
Each sport may select one Top Newcomer Award recipient annually. The award is presented at the annual Green & White Awards.
Statesman/Lady Statesman Award
The Statesman/Lady Statesman Award is presented annually by each Delta State Athletics program to a student-athlete who best represents the values and ideals of the program and Delta State Athletics.
The award recognizes a student-athlete whose contributions extend beyond athletic performance and who exemplifies the qualities expected of a Statesman or Lady Statesman through leadership, character, sportsmanship, commitment to the team, and representation of Delta State University.
Each sport may select one Statesman/Lady Statesman Award recipient annually. The award is presented at the annual Green & White Awards.
Athletic Director's Academic Hall of Fame
The Athletic Director's Academic Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding and sustained academic achievement by Delta State student-athletes and athletics programs.
Each year, four academic awards are presented: the women's and men's teams with the highest cumulative institutional grade point averages and the female and male student-athletes with the highest cumulative institutional grade point averages. Award recipients are permanently recognized on perpetual plaques displayed in the Dearing Hall of Fame Room in Chadwick-Dickson.
All academic award data is calculated and verified by Delta State University's Office of Institutional Research and Planning using official institutional academic records. The use of cumulative GPA and earned institutional credit hours recognizes sustained academic excellence over time rather than performance during a single semester.
Team Academic Awards
The Team Academic Awards are presented to the women's team and men's team with the highest average cumulative institutional GPA.
All student-athletes who appeared on a team's roster at any point during the Fall semester are included in the calculation. The GPA represents the cumulative institutional academic record of those student-athletes as of the conclusion of the Fall semester, the most recent term for which official grades are available.
Individual Academic Awards
The Individual Academic Awards are presented to the female and male student-athletes with the highest current undergraduate cumulative institutional GPA.
To be eligible, a student-athlete must have earned at least 48 institutional credit hours. In the event of a tie in cumulative institutional GPA, the student-athlete with the greatest number of earned institutional credit hours will be selected.
GPA and earned credit hours are based on each student-athlete's cumulative institutional academic record as of the conclusion of the Fall semester, the most recent term for which official grades are available.
The Athletic Director's Academic Hall of Fame awards are presented annually at the Green & White Awards.
Charles S. Kerg Senior Student-Athlete of the Year Award
The Charles S. Kerg Senior Student-Athlete of the Year Award is Delta State Athletics' premier annual student-athlete award and is presented to the top male and female senior student-athletes.
Established in 1968 by former Director of Athletics and Head Football Coach Horace McCool, the award honors Charles S. Kerg, former sports editor of the Delta Democrat-Times and longtime supporter of Delta State Athletics.
The award recognizes the all-around student-athlete who excels in athletic competition, in the classroom, and through involvement and service to the campus and community.
Candidates for the award are nominated by Delta State head coaches, with the male and female recipients selected through a vote of Athletics coaches and staff.
One male and one female student-athlete are selected annually. The awards are presented at the annual Green & White Awards.
SERVICE & DISTINGUISHED AWARDS
Lawrence L. Stewart Community Service Award
The Lawrence L. Stewart Service Award is presented in memory of Lawrence L. Stewart, who was serving as President of the Delta State Athletic Alumni Association at the time of his death in 1984.
The award recognizes an individual or group from the community who has demonstrated outstanding support of and service to Delta State University, Delta State Athletics, its coaches, and student-athletes.
Nominations are accepted from Delta State Athletics coaches and staff, with the recipient selected through a vote of head coaches and Athletics Administration. The award is presented annually at the Green & White Awards.
Athletic Alumni Association Faculty/Staff Appreciation Award
The Athletic Alumni Association Appreciation Award recognizes a Delta State University faculty or staff member who has demonstrated continued support of and service to Statesmen and Lady Statesmen Athletics during his or her tenure at the University.
Nominations are accepted from Delta State Athletics coaches and staff, with the recipient selected through a vote of head coaches and Athletics Administration. The award is presented annually at the Green & White Awards.
Distinguished Statesman/Lady Statesman Award
The Distinguished Statesman Award is presented by Delta State Athletics to a former Statesman or Lady Statesman student-athlete who has distinguished themselves through significant personal and professional accomplishments following their time at Delta State.
The award recognizes achievement and impact beyond sports, including significant contributions through the recipient's profession, community, state, church, civic involvement, or other organizations and causes.
Nominations are accepted from Delta State Athletics coaches and staff, with the recipient selected through a vote of head coaches and Athletics Administration.
The Distinguished Statesman Award is presented annually at the Delta State Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
