Oklahoma Introduces New Sooner Success Academic Award

Oklahoma continues to be forward-thinking.

The University of Oklahoma announced on Monday a plan to create financial awards to student-athletes in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Alston v. NCAA case.

The Sooner Success Academic Award will provided the means for eligible student-athletes to receive a maximum of $5,980 per year.

"We are excited to take another important step in student-athlete welfare," OU Vice President and Athletics Director Joe Castiglione said in a release. "In recent months, we have been on the cutting edge of NIL opportunities for our student-athletes and many of them have realized outstanding success. Now, with the addition of this financial support, OU maintains a leadership position in the student-athlete experience."

The award aims to reward academic success and motivate student-athletes to complete their classes while also helping eliminate unnecessary winter and May term classes and potentially summer courses.

"This is a win-win concept," Castiglione said. "The Sooner Success Academic Award not only provides help with living expenses now, but it also encourages the kind of academic progress that pays dividends for a lifetime. This is a very meaningful program for our student-athletes."

The Sooner Success Academic Award program is set to begin with the spring 2022 semester with more details to come in time.