NYSPHSAA Honors Blue Devils as School of Excellence

The Huntington Blue Devil athletic program has been recognized as a School of Excellence by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, Inc. To earn this designation requires that at least 75 percent of a school’s varsity teams qualify for the scholar-athlete team award.

To receive team recognition, the squad’s average GPA for 75 percent of the roster must be equal to or greater than 90.00. Higher athlete GPAs can be used offset lower ones. However, only students with a 90 or above receive scholar-athlete pins, even if a student with a lower GPA was used in the calculation.

Twenty-five of 31 Huntington varsity teams used in the calculation garnered state scholar-athlete team award honors, qualifying the Blue Devils for the School of Excellence Award. (Note Huntington has 34 varsity sports, but the combined girls’ gymnastics team and the two Unified teams are not used in the calculation.)

Huntington athletic officials credited the Blue Devil student-athletes and coaching staff members for being as diligent in the classroom as they are in the athletic arena. The group will now strive to attain School of Excellence status. That will require every Blue Devil varsity team to attain the scholar athlete team award.

“The efforts made by student-athletes in the classroom are paramount to their success in the athletic arena and beyond their high school days,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA executive director. “We are proud of those who put in the work as ‘student’ and ‘athlete,’ as well as the growth in both of School of Excellence and Distinction recognition.”

The purpose of the School of Distinction and School of Excellence Awards is to unite athletic departments in challenging their teams to achieve a statewide academic honor. This year, 114 schools earned the School of Distinction Award and 226 schools earned the School of Excellence Award. The two figures have increased since last year when 84 schools were named School of Distinction Award recipients and 219 garnered the School of Distinction Award. There are more than 1,000 high schools in New York State.

To be eligible to receive these either of the awards, schools must submit an application following the spring scholar-athlete submission each school year. Winning schools will receive their commemorative awards at their local athletic director workshop this fall.