Eernisse Earns NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award
4/8/2026 7:30:00 PM | Ice Hockey
• Michigan's NCAA Award Recipients
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Senior Josh Eernisse of the University of Michigan ice hockey team is the recipient of the Elite Scholar-Athlete Award for the 2026 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Championship.
A sport management major, Eernisse carries a 3.97 GPA. He received the honor following the Wolverines Frozen Four practice on Wednesday (April 8) at T-Mobile Arena.
The Elite Scholar-Athlete Award, formerly the Elite 90 award, is presented annually to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships. Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above academically who have participated in a sport for at least two years with their school.
On the ice, Eernisse has recorded 18 points as a senior, tallying 10 goals and eight assists. He ranks second nationally with three short-handed goals and has added three game-winning tallies.
Beyond competition, Eernisse has been actively involved in leadership and service initiatives. He is a member of Michigan's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Big Ten SAAC and the Student-Athlete Issues Committee. Additionally, he contributes to the Michigan Athletics Career Center subcommittee, participates in the Athletes in Real Estate Club, supports Team Impact, and volunteers at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital.
First introduced during the 2009-10 academic year, the award marks the first time a Michigan ice hockey player has earned the distinction. Overall, Eernisse marks the athletic department's ninth recipient of the award.
Eernisse and the Wolverines will face Denver in the national semifinal on Thursday (April 9) at 5:30 p.m. PT on ESPN2.
Michigan Elite Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
• 2010 -- Ben Baldus-Strauss, Jr., men's gymnastics (3.948, biochemistry)
• 2016 -- Danielle Johnson, Jr., water polo (3.89, sport management)
• 2016 -- Kinsey Vear, Jr., rowing (3.965, evolutionary anthropology)
• 2017 -- PJ Ransford, Jr., men's swimming and diving (4.00, mechanical engineering)
• 2018 -- PJ Ransford, Sr., men's swimming and diving (4.00, mechanical engineering)
• 2019 -- Annika Hoffmann, So., rowing (4.0, political science and comparative literature)
• 2021 -- Alice Hill, Gr., women's cross country (4.0, neuroscience and ecology, evolution and biodiversity)
• 2022 -- Sophie Jackson, Sr., water polo (3.986, architecture)
• 2026 -- Josh Eernisse, Sr., ice hockey (3.97, sport management)
