SPARTANBURG, S.C.—The Southern Conference released its academic honor roll for the 2016-17 academic year Thursday morning, and 196 Samford student-athletes were named to the list.
 
Samford's 196 student-athletes are up from the 194 Samford placed on the honor roll last season, which was a 50-member increase from the 144 on the 2014-15 honor roll.
 
The academic honor roll originated in 1988-89, when SoCon athletic directors established the award as a way to recognize the league's outstanding student-athletes. The academic honor roll consists of student-athletes who participated in varsity sports and posted a 3.0 grade point average or higher, were eligible the entire academic year and were members of the final squad lists.
 
A total of 44 Samford student-athletes earned the Commissioner's Medal, which goes to student-athletes with a 3.8 or higher GPA. Nine Bulldogs earned perfect 4.0 GPAs during the 2016-17 academic year.
 
Of the 2,100 overall student-athletes on the list, 468 earned the Commissioner's Medal. This year's total is the most since that standard rose from 3.5 beginning in 2015-16. A league-record 148 student-athletes boasted perfect 4.0 GPAs in 2016-17, besting by two the previous record, set last year. Each of the league's full members had at least two student-athletes with 4.0 GPAs.
 
Click on the link below to see a full list of this year's academic honor roll.
 
2016-17 SOCON ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL
 
2016-17 COMMISSIONER'S MEDALS
 
2016-17 4.0 GPAs