Athletes to get paid for good grades at Virginia Tech

Getting good grades as an athlete at Virginia Tech will soon pay off — literally.

Virginia Tech said Thursday it plans to financially reward student athletes on their academic progress in the wake of last June’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Alston vs. NCAA.



“We are pleased to be able to offer this financial incentive for our student athletes to make the type of academic progress that will benefit them for years to come after graduation,” Athletic Director Whit Babcock said in a statement.

“We are currently finalizing our criteria for this program and plan to roll out the details to student athletes, their families and our coaching staffs this summer.”

According to NCAA rules put in place after the Supreme Court ruling, student athletes can get paid up to $5,980 a year for their academic performance.

The rewards package is expected to start in the fall.

College athletes can also get paid from their Name, Image and Likeness deals.

Will Vitka

William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com. He's been in the news industry for over a decade. Before joining WTOP, he worked for CBS News, Stuff Magazine, The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them, with more to come.

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