Hundreds of Lincoln Public Schools student-athletes made their high school communities proud this year by thriving in both competitions and the classroom.
The Nebraska Coaches Association recognized 75 LPS groups with 2025-26 Team Academic Excellence Awards. NCA leaders presented the honors this summer to teams that competed in fall, winter and spring activities.
Programs had to compile a team cumulative grade point average of 3.30 to earn academic recognition. The only exception was football, which required a team cumulative GPA of 3.00 because of the large number of players on each squad. Schools submitted academic materials for the semester or quarters each program competed in.
Standing Bear led LPS with awards in 21 of the 25 possible activities. Head softball coach Megan Ruppert said that accomplishment warranted a large amount of applause from everyone at school. The softball program was one of ten fall teams that reached the 3.30 threshold for the Grizzlies. Standing Bear also had four winter and seven spring squads make the list.
“It’s very important to highlight their classroom success,” Ruppert said. “The amount of time and energy that goes into being a successful student while also putting even more time and energy into their activities is a feat in and of itself. The students definitely deserve their kudos!”
East (19 teams) and North Star (12) also reached double-digit award totals. East Athletic/Activities Director Zach Limbach and North Star Associate Activities Director James Thompson said they were thrilled to see students succeed in all their pursuits.
“Our academic success rates reflect the commitment our student-athletes make every day, the emphasis our coaches place on academics, and the tremendous support provided by our teachers, counselors, administrators and families,” Limbach said. “We expect excellence in the classroom just as much as we do in competition, and it’s rewarding to see our students consistently rise to that challenge.”
“Demonstrating that students can excel in both academics and extracurricular activities isn’t just encouraging – it is fundamental to building self-efficacy, resilience and lifelong balance,” Thompson said. “Representation matters deeply. When our scholars see peers or alumni who shared their exact background navigating rigorous coursework while actively engaging in sports, arts or leadership, it transforms dreams into a tangible road map.”
Coaches and teachers like Ruppert, Emily Mathews and Jake Froscheiser are playing critical roles in that LPS academic mission. Ruppert teaches English classes at Standing Bear in addition to her coaching duties, and Mathews teaches social studies and leads East’s girls soccer program. Froscheiser is chair of North Star’s physical education/health department and is the head boys wrestling coach.
All three leaders said they emphasize academics to their teams each school year. Students heard those messages in 2025-26 and maintained award-winning classroom habits.
“Something we tell the girls from day one is you are a student-athlete, which means academic success comes first,” Ruppert said. “We implemented a daily study hall before practice last season to really give the girls a chance to talk to teachers, complete homework or take tests that they missed due to games. It’s very important to us to make sure academics are a main focus in all of our athletes’ lives.”
“I make it a point to stress that it is always acceptable to be late to or even miss a practice or out-of-season conditioning because they are getting extra help from a teacher,” Mathews said. “All they need to do is bring a pass with a teacher signature for accountability. We want them to know that taking care of their academics will always be fully supported by the coaching staff.”
“Our wrestling team constantly talks about the importance of being in good academic standing to not only be able to compete, but also to continue working towards earning their high school diploma,” Froscheiser said. “When students may be struggling, we talk about finding balance with their studies and what they are doing athletically. This helps them develop routines that they can utilize to be as successful as possible in both areas.”
Thompson, who is also North Star’s head football coach, said students benefit in many ways from having positive role models in their lives. Coaches are in a strategic position to shape academic success because of the amount of time they spend with their teams.
“When our coaches set high expectations, champion our student-athletes’ academic growth and intentionally celebrate those victories along the way, it creates a powerful culture of accountability and pride,” Thompson said. “It proves that with strong mentorship and consistent encouragement, every single one of our programs is capable of reaching its highest potential, both on the competition surface and in the classroom.”
Limbach said the state awards are proof that students can apply skills like discipline, time management, accountability and resilience to both academics and activities. He said it was important for them to passionately pursue excellence in every arena of life.
“One of the greatest lessons students learn through education-based athletics is how to successfully balance multiple responsibilities,” Limbach said. “We want our current and future students to see that they don’t have to choose between being a great student and being involved in athletics or activities. They can excel in both.”
2025-26 NCA Team Academic Excellence Award Recipients from LPS
Fall 2025 Activities
Cheerleading (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, North Star, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, Standing Bear
Girls Cross Country (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, North Star, Northwest, Standing Bear
Boys Cross Country (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, North Star, Northwest, Standing Bear
Dance (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, North Star, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest, Standing Bear
Football (3.00 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, North Star, Northwest, Standing Bear
Girls Golf (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, Standing Bear
Softball (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): North Star, Northeast, Northwest, Southwest, Standing Bear
Boys Tennis (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, Northeast, Standing Bear
Unified Bowling (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): Standing Bear
Volleyball (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester): East, North Star, Northeast, Southwest, Standing Bear
Winter 2025-26 Activities
Girls Basketball (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): East, Southwest, Standing Bear
Boys Basketball (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): East, Northeast, Standing Bear
Girls Bowling (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): East, Standing Bear
Boys Bowling (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): Standing Bear
Girls Swimming and Diving (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): East, North Star, Southeast
Boys Swimming and Diving (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): East, North Star, Southeast
Girls Wrestling: No LPS teams
Boys Wrestling (3.30 team cumulative GPA for fall semester or third quarter): North Star
Spring 2026 Activities
Baseball (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): East, Standing Bear
Boys Golf (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): East, Standing Bear
Girls Soccer (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): East, Standing Bear
Boys Soccer (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): East, Standing Bear
Girls Tennis (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): East, Standing Bear
Girls Track and Field (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): East, North Star, Southwest, Standing Bear
Boys Track and Field (3.30 team cumulative GPA for spring semester): North Star, Southwest, Standing Bear
Discover how getting involved in LPS activities helps students achieve academic goals.
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