LA MIRADA --- On Wednesday, the NCAA announced the 43 institutions that earned the Presidents' Award for Academic Excellence. Biola nabbed the distinguished honor by boasting an incredible Academic Success Rate of 98.

BU has now earned the honor in every year it has been in the NCAA Division II. This year, Biola's ASR of 98 ranked third amongst all DII members. For the first time in program-history, Biola raced up the rankings and was a top-five institution by ASR. Three PacWest schools picked up the award on Wednesday, as the Eagles led the way, followed by Dominican and Point Loma. 

"It is an honor recognizing 43 schools for this prestigious award," said Steven Shirley, president of Minot State and chair of the Division II Presidents Council. "I applaud these schools and student-athletes for their hard work, commitment and dedication to achieving academic excellence."

NCAA Division II Academic Success Rate has been measured since 2006 and is a tool used to compare student-athlete graduation rates to federal averages and general student body numbers. The ASR is the percentage of student-athletes who graduate within six years of initial enrollment at a college. The NCAA developed the Division II ASR at the request of college and university presidents who believed the federal graduation rate was flawed.