The NCAA Foundation has received a gift of more than $2.5 million from USA Today to establish a scholarship program recognizing colleges and universities that are graduating student-athletes at the highest rates.

This is the largest single gift the NCAA Foundation has received.

This scholarship program will be known as the USA Today-NCAA Foundation Academic Achievement Award and is the only national awards program of its kind. Nine scholarships will be awarded annually totaling $250,000 per year for the next five years. Competition for the award will begin in the 2000-01 academic year.

NCAA member schools in Divisions I, II and III will be eligible to apply for the scholarships based on the following criteria:

Institutions with the highest student-athlete graduation rates above the average of the student body.

Institutions with the greatest increase in percentage of student-athletes graduating over the previous year.

Institutions graduating the highest percentage of student-athletes.

"The NCAA has a strong tradition of emphasizing the importance of increasing graduation rates for student-athletes at all of its member institutions," said Cedric W. Dempsey, NCAA president. "We are pleased to have a tangible form of recognition for colleges and universities that are achieving outstanding graduation rates. The NCAA's top priority is to ensure that student-athletes receive high-quality education. This awards program will focus on completing that education."

Of the $2.5 million, more than $1 million is earmarked for scholarships. The balance will be for used for funding an annual recognition event in Washington, D.C., for the winning institutions, and space in USA Today highlighting the scholarship winners each year and publicizing other NCAA Foundation programs.

"USA Today has long recognized those students who lead in the classroom as well as those who excel on the field of competition," said Tom Curley, president and publisher of USA Today. "We are honored to work with the NCAA's student-athlete program to reward both athletics prowess and academic excellence."

Institutions chosen for the award will receive $25,000 each. Administrators at the winning colleges and universities will determine the best way to use the scholarship money, such as awarding it to one or more students or funding programs.

"The NCAA Foundation appreciates the generous support of USA Today. This support will enable the NCAA to initiate a new program to recognize colleges and universities that are working hard to graduate their student-athletes," said Marion Peavey, executive director of the NCAA Foundation. "We anticipate expanding this program of graduation recognition to involve more institutions in the future."