KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced that University of St. Francis (Ill.) has been recognized as a NAIA Champions of Character Five-Star Award winner, earning the prestigious Bronze Medallion.

This national honor highlights the commitment of the Fighting Saints athletics to the five core values of the Champions of Character program: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership, both on and off the field.

The Five-Star Award is based on an institution's demonstrated commitment to character development through areas such as character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition, and character promotion. Schools earn points through strong student-athlete GPAs and by maintaining few to no ejections during competition throughout the academic year.

A total of 210 NAIA institutions earned Five-Star Awards for the 2024-25 academic year, underscoring the wide-reaching impact of the Champions of Character initiative. The Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) was also recognized as a Five-Star Conference, with 10 member institutions receiving honors, further reinforcing the league's collective commitment to character-driven competition.

To learn more about the NAIA's Champions of Character program, click HERE.

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