ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine announced on Monday, Feb. 1 that a record 297 student-athletes will be honored and recognized for their success in the classroom at the Scholar-Athlete Recognition ceremony on Monday, Feb. 1, 2016 at 6:30 p.m. in Wells Conference Center.

Two-hundred eighteen student-athletes will be recognized as Scholar-Athletes for achieving a 3.0 or better grade point average for the 2015 year and/or having a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. Seventy-nine first-year student-athletes will also be honored as *Rising Stars* for earning a 3.0 GPA or better in their first semester at Maine.

This year's awards banquet will be live streamed through AmericaEast.tv on GoBlackBears.com at this link.

Now in its 27th year, the awards have been presented annually since 1989 and 3,594 medallions have been awarded. This is the 12th year in a row that over half of the student-athletes have been honored and is the largest since the inception of the awards. The event is sponsored by The University of Maine Foundation, University Credit Union, The M Club and the Alumni Association.

The University of Maine will honor these student-athletes at a reception on Monday, Feb. 9 in Wells Conference Center at 6:30 p.m., and also announce the annual recipients of the "M" Club Dean Smith Award, presented to the top male and female scholar-athlete. Team Maine will also be announced, to recognize the sophomore, junior or senior from each team who has achieved the highest grade point average for the 2014 calendar year.

All scholar-athletes will receive a medallion, the color of which represents the number of years that a recipient has earned the award. This year 81 student-athletes will receive their first award, a bronze medallion, 65 second time honorees will receive silver medallions and gold medallions will be presented to 38 student-athletes who are third time recipients. Three fifth year student-athletes will receive double gold medals for earning their fourth medallion.