The Big South Conference annually recognizes the stellar academic achievements of its student-athletes with various awards, including the Christenberry Award, Graduate Fellowship, Woman of the Year, Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Presidential Honor Roll.

CHRISTENBERRY AWARD FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
The Big South Conference presents the George A. Christenberry Award for Academic Excellence each year to one male and female student-athlete who attain the highest grade point averages during their undergraduate careers.  The award is based on the entire academic record (including all transfer credit) through the fall semester of the final academic year to allow for recognition of the award winners in the spring of each year to be eligible.  Student-Athletes must have graduated during the previous summer or fall semester or be in the final semester of their undergraduate career.  In case of ties, additional awards and recognition are provided.

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP
The Big South Conference Graduate Fellowship Program was established by the league in the Fall of 2005 as a means of recognizing the academic excellence of Big South Conference student-athletes who intend to pursue postgraduate studies upon graduation from a Big South Conference institution.  Each winner receives $2,000 for their respective graduate studies.  Since 2008, Big South Corporate Partner Bob McCloskey Insurance has graciously sponsored the fellowship awards.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR
The Big South Conference established its Woman of the Year Award in 2006, with the recipient being the conference's nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year.  The Big South’s Woman of the Year Selection Committee uses criteria of Service and Leadership (including community services, campus activities and leadership positions), Academic Achievement, Athletics Excellence and a Personal Statement from each candidate.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
The Big South Conference sports information directors annually select an overal male and female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  The candidates are selected from a pool of each sport’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners announced during the regular season.

PRESIDENTIAL HONOR ROLL
Student-athletes that maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better for the recently-completed academic year are recognized on the Big South's Presidential Honor Roll.  In 2016-17, an all-time high of 59.69 percent of eligible Big South Conference student-athletes earned Presidential Honor Roll status for their work in the classroom.  The 59.69 percentage marked the third consecutive year above 50 percent.