The Cardinal Cup is a new program that rewards student-athletes for their efforts in the classroom, on the field and in the community, rewarding teams for their efforts and accomplishments in scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership, personal development, service and team spirit.  The Cardinal Cup is new to North Central College in the 2008-2009 academic year, having been created this past summer by students in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM) groups.

For example, teams receive points as student-athletes are named Academic All-Americans or to the Dean's List, succeed as conference champions, attend speaker events, create a team service project, and attend The Huddle or Cardinal Pride Club events. The team with the most points at the end of the academic year receives a special prize.