[1] With women's wrestling becoming an official NCAA championship sport for the first time in 2025–26, initially with a single championship open to members of all three divisions,[2] the award name will presumably change to Elite 91 at that time.
Students are eligible if they have achieved at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing and if they are in at least the second year of competition (in any sport) at their current institution.
A student in the first season of play at a new institution is eligible for the award if they sat out the previous season due to NCAA transfer rules while enrolled continuously at the current institution.
Graduate students who still have athletic eligibility may receive the award, but only undergraduate GPAs are considered.
[5] It became the Elite 89 during the 2011–12 academic year with the creation of the NCAA Men's Division III Volleyball Championship, and changed again to Elite 90 in 2015–16 with the establishment of the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship.