CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Joe Holenstein, a junior at RIT, is the recipient of the Elite Scholar-Athlete award for the 2026 NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship.
 
Holenstein, majoring in mechanical engineering, currently carries a 3.97 GPA. Holenstein was presented with the award after the Tigers practice on Friday, May 22 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
 
The NCAA Elite Scholar-Athlete Award honors the exceptional achievements of student-athletes. This prestigious accolade is given to those who have not only excelled at a national championship level in their sport but have also achieved the highest academic standards among their peers. The Elite Scholar-Athlete is proudly awarded to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.

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

For more information on the Elite Scholar-Athlete award winners, log on to https://www.ncaa.com/Elite-Scholar-Athlete-Award.

Holenstein joins Jamie Hunt(2024), Dylan Bruno (2022), Tyler Sceviour (2021), John Hill (2017) and Pat McMullan (2013), and men's hockey standout Mark Cornacchia, who won the Elite 88 award, as it was known then, in 2010 at the Frozen Four in Detroit.

Holenstein, a co-captain and defenseman, leads RIT with 35 caused turnovers and is second with 86 ground balls in 23 games this season. A USILA First-Team All-American, he has seven caused turnovers and 17 ground balls in four NCAA Tournament games in 2026.

RIT will play Tufts on Sunday, May 24 in the NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship game at 12 p.m. at Scott Stadium.