Stong Earns NCAA Recognition With Elite 90 Award

INDIANAPOLIS – Russell Stong, a junior guard at UCLA, has been honored as a recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

Stong, majoring in mechanical engineering, has compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.86, midway through his third year at UCLA. He also plans to pursue a second major at UCLA in business-economics. A graduate of Crespi High School (Encino, Calif.), Stong has a strong career interest in entrepreneurship.

Stong has played in five games for the Bruins this season. He joined the program as a walk-on student-athlete at the start of the 2018-19 season. Stong's contributions have been particularly valuable in scout team preparations. In the classroom, he has made the UCLA Athletic Director's honor roll in all eight academic quarters (3.5 GPA or higher). He has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA in three of his eight academic quarters.

The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete. This award honors an 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. The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.

Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed.

For information on the Elite 90 award winners, visit https://www.ncaa.com/elite-90.