VIDEO: Full Eagle Scholars Ceremony Broadcast

VIDEO: Chuck Benson Interview 

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn - Carson-Newman's men's basketball team brought home the Director's Cup at the 11th annual Eagle Scholars Ceremony Tuesday evening at Holt Fieldhouse. 

The Director's Cup is presented to the top academic team on campus which best represents the values espoused by the Eagle Scholar Program as selected by the Eagle Scholar Committee.  Previous winners include women's basketball (2015), baseball (2016), softball (2017), swimming (2018), volleyball (2019), women's soccer (2020), women's track and field (2021) and beach volleyball (2022).  

Roughly 60 percent of Carson-Newman's student-athlete population will be lauded during the ceremony. 

Carson-Newman's overall Eagle Scholars count has stayed remarkably consistent over the last three years.  For the first time in the 11-year history of the program, an overall record-number of honorees won't be celebrated.  However, this year's class will be the highest percentage of the overall student-athlete body to be recognized.  

C-N's overall number of Eagle Scholars is down by a whopping one, from 306 to 305.  

A total 305 where recognized in 2021, a growth of 25.5 percent from the previous year's record-class of 243.  It marks a stark contrast since the program began in 2013 with 72 being recognized.  

The Director's Cup will also be presented during the Eagle Scholars Ceremony.  

The Eagle Scholars Program recognizes academic achievements among Carson-Newman student-athletes. To become an Eagle Scholar, student-athletes must have a GPA of 3.25 or higher. Eagle Scholars receive a patch to wear on their uniforms during regular season competition.  This year also marks the fourth year that the program also includes the introduction of the Gold Scholars. These honorees will receive a golden patch to wear on their uniforms for maintaining a GPA higher than 3.75. There are 84 such gold scholars (exactly the same amount as last year's) in this year's program and 47 Platinum Scholars, which recognizes students with perfect 4.0s. 

Carson-Newman is the only school in the South Atlantic Conference to offer such a program.

It was the teamwork of Gloria Walker and Amy Humphrey, then members of the University's Student Success Center that helped to bring the program together in 2013.

2013 - 72

2014 - 93

2015 - 128

2016 - 160

2017 - 177

2018 - 213

2019 - 220

2020 - 243

2021 - 305

2022 - 306

2023 - 305