The East Coast Conference announced the creation of the Elite 18 award, which will will be presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average competing in each of the ECC's 18 championships.

The Elite 18 Award is modeled off of the NCAA's Elite 90 Award. The NCAA describes the award, which is awarded to a student-athlete at each of its 90 National Championship tournaments, as recognizing the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers.

Winners of the Elite 18 Award will also have to meet the same minimum criteria as the Elite 90 Award. To win the award, student-athletes must meet the following criteria.

1. Student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, and in at least his or her second year (in any sport) at his or her current institution.
2. Student-athlete is an active member of the roster and eligible for the championship.
3. Credits completed shall only consist of those credits accumulated at the current institution and shall not include transfer or AP credits.
4. Only undergraduate GPA is applicable. If the student-athlete has graduated and is in graduate school, he or she is still eligible for the award but consideration will be based strictly on an undergraduate GPA. Graduate students must be in good academic standing with the university.
5. Each student-athlete is only eligible to win the award once per academic year, even if he or she participates in more than one sport

2017-18 ECC Elite 18 Award Winners

	Men's Cross Country Nathan Cannon Roberts Wesleyan Soph. Engineering/Pre-Med 4.0		Women's Cross Country Moriah Martone Roberts Wesleyan Soph. Nursing 4.0		Women's Tennis Lena Dimmer NYIT Sr. Business & Finance 4.0
	Men's Soccer Victor Salinas Furio Dist. Columbia Gr. Architecture 3.93		Women's Soccer Jennifer Wendelius Bridgeport Jr. Marketing 3.97		Volleyball Sheri Middleton Bridgeport Sr. Mass Communications 4.0
	Men's Indoor Track & Field Brian Michels Molloy Jr Accounting 3.975		Women's Indoor Track & Field Temera Duncan Dist. Columbia So. Accounting 4.0		Men's Basketball Keenan Loder Molloy So. Childhood Education - Math 3.92
	Women's Basketball Emily Miller Roberts Wesleyan So. Marketing 4.0		Women's Bowling Kayla Dobrinski Molloy So. Criminal Justice 4.0		Men's Outdoor Track & Field Tanner Craun Roberts Wesleyan Jr. Religion and Philosophy 3.953
	Women's Outdoor Track & Field Molly Luger Roberts Wesleyan Sr. Nursing and Spanish 3.986		Men's Tennis Lucas Martinez Queens Sr. Economics & Finance 3.959		Softball Cherlynn Townsend Bridgeport Jr. Health Sciences 3.99
	Men's Lacrosse Dylan Harned LIU Post Gr. Health Care Admin. 3.94		Women's Lacrosse Mackenzie Hitchcock LIU Post Jr. Accounting 3.99		Baseball Ryan Hensley Molloy Jr. Accounting 3.82