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Bentley Named Finalist for 2026 Division II Award of Excellence

Flight Plan Looks to Help Falcons Soar.

WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley athletics was named the Northeast 10 Conference's finalist for the NCAA Division II Award of Excellence, the NCAA announced Wednesday, for its new Flight Plan initiative. The Award of Excellence is bestowed to just one athletics department per conference, highlighting initiatives that exemplify the Division II philosophy of community engagement and student-athlete leadership. 

Through the vision of Athletic Director Vaughn Williams, Flight Plan is a comprehensive inclusive leadership and performance program dedicated to equipping Bentley's student-athletes with the tools they need to become the best version of themselves – for personal, professional and community impact throughout their lives. The program debuted in 2025 under the guidance of Grace Carter, Bentley’s Manager of Student-Athlete Development.

There are five pillars to the program: leadership, wellness, career, community and finance. Student-athletes are engaged with Flight Plan throughout their Bentley careers.

“It’s remarkable to consider that we are only in year two of this initiative,” said Carter. “During the most transformative years of Bentley student-athletes’ lives, Flight Plan will simply be how development is done—intentionally investing in the whole student-athlete and unlocking potential for life beyond the game.”

The finalists for the Division II Award of Excellence were chosen by a committee of athletics administrators and the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, with the SAAC members ultimately selecting the top three finalists. Those honorees, including the winner, will be announced at the Division II business session next week at the 2026 NCAA Convention in the Washington, D.C., area. 

Each finalist will receive $750. The winner will receive $3,000, with the second-place finisher getting $1,750 and the third-place finisher awarded $1,500. All prize money is intended to be used for future SAAC programming or community engagement events. 

Release provided by Bentley athletics.

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast 10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.