Michigan State University Athletics
Sam Edwards, Josh Mason Earn NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships
3/11/2026 2:32:00 PM | Football, General, Men's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State sixth-year graduate linebacker Sam Edwards and senior men's soccer player Josh Mason have both been awarded $10,000 postgraduate scholarships by the NCAA as part of the 2025-26 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program.
Out of the 21 total male recipients for this year's NCAA postgraduate scholarship among fall sports, Michigan State was one of just two schools to have two student-athletes earn the award (Johns Hopkins).
The 42 student-athletes, representing fall sports across all three NCAA divisions, have demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, athletic excellence and leadership within their communities.
This marks the second postgraduate scholarship award in the past week for Edwards, as he was named the male recipient of the Big Ten's Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award last Friday, which was also for $10,000.
Edwards was voted team captain by his teammates in his sixth-year graduate season in 2025. While excelling on the field as both a standout special teams player and linebacker, Edwards made an equally significant impact in the classroom. In 2025, he was appointed as a student-athlete representative on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, becoming just the fourth football player to serve on the board.
The Williamston, Michigan, native and Lansing Catholic High School product is a five-time Academic All-Big Ten, four-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic All-District selection; he is also a three-time recipient of the team's Scholar Athlete Award. In addition, he was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy in 2025, which is considered the nation's premier scholar-athlete award in college football.
A four-year letterwinner (2022-25) and six-year player (2020-25), Edwards played in 41 career games for the Spartans. Prior to being named to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, he was selected in February 2025 as the Big Ten representative to the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee Student-Athlete Connection Group. He has also helped with numerous community events throughout his time in East Lansing, including: student-athlete food drive; Beautiful Lives Project; Jack Breslin/McLaren Golf Classic volunteer; March is Reading Month; Be the Match – Bone Marrow Registry; peer tutoring service; visits to the Sparrow Hospital pediatric ward; and Teams for Toys.
Edwards graduated in May 2024 with a double major in political theory and constitutional democracy / international relations, completed a minor in political economy in December 2024, and earned his master's degree in marketing research in December 2025 with a 3.9 GPA. In preparation for a career in law, he has worked as an Ad Hoc Law Clerk at Nichols Law Firm in East Lansing.
Mason, a senior defender, is the only Big Ten soccer player to be named to the NCAA Postgraduate program. The South Lyon, Michigan, native is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He also captured Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors three straight seasons.
In 2024, Mason earned the men's soccer Scholar-Athlete Award at the Michigan State Academic Gala. He scored his first collegiate goal on the road at Army on Sept. 1, 2023. He also added his first career assist against Bowling Green on Aug. 28, 2023.
A kinesiology major, Mason was one of 13 Spartans recognized in the fall by the Big Ten for having a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
ABOUT THE NCAA POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Each year, the NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes who have completed their final year of athletics competition. The scholarships are distributed three times annually — in the fall, winter and spring — providing 21 scholarships each to men and women per season. The award is a one-time, nonrenewable scholarship intended to support graduate study at an accredited institution.
Established in 1964, the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program promotes and encourages graduate education by recognizing the Association's most accomplished student-athletes. The program evaluates candidates on their athletic and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service and leadership.
Out of the 21 total male recipients for this year's NCAA postgraduate scholarship among fall sports, Michigan State was one of just two schools to have two student-athletes earn the award (Johns Hopkins).
The 42 student-athletes, representing fall sports across all three NCAA divisions, have demonstrated outstanding academic achievements, athletic excellence and leadership within their communities.
This marks the second postgraduate scholarship award in the past week for Edwards, as he was named the male recipient of the Big Ten's Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award last Friday, which was also for $10,000.
Edwards was voted team captain by his teammates in his sixth-year graduate season in 2025. While excelling on the field as both a standout special teams player and linebacker, Edwards made an equally significant impact in the classroom. In 2025, he was appointed as a student-athlete representative on the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, becoming just the fourth football player to serve on the board.
The Williamston, Michigan, native and Lansing Catholic High School product is a five-time Academic All-Big Ten, four-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic All-District selection; he is also a three-time recipient of the team's Scholar Athlete Award. In addition, he was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy in 2025, which is considered the nation's premier scholar-athlete award in college football.
A four-year letterwinner (2022-25) and six-year player (2020-25), Edwards played in 41 career games for the Spartans. Prior to being named to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, he was selected in February 2025 as the Big Ten representative to the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee Student-Athlete Connection Group. He has also helped with numerous community events throughout his time in East Lansing, including: student-athlete food drive; Beautiful Lives Project; Jack Breslin/McLaren Golf Classic volunteer; March is Reading Month; Be the Match – Bone Marrow Registry; peer tutoring service; visits to the Sparrow Hospital pediatric ward; and Teams for Toys.
Edwards graduated in May 2024 with a double major in political theory and constitutional democracy / international relations, completed a minor in political economy in December 2024, and earned his master's degree in marketing research in December 2025 with a 3.9 GPA. In preparation for a career in law, he has worked as an Ad Hoc Law Clerk at Nichols Law Firm in East Lansing.
Mason, a senior defender, is the only Big Ten soccer player to be named to the NCAA Postgraduate program. The South Lyon, Michigan, native is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He also captured Big Ten Distinguished Scholar honors three straight seasons.
In 2024, Mason earned the men's soccer Scholar-Athlete Award at the Michigan State Academic Gala. He scored his first collegiate goal on the road at Army on Sept. 1, 2023. He also added his first career assist against Bowling Green on Aug. 28, 2023.
A kinesiology major, Mason was one of 13 Spartans recognized in the fall by the Big Ten for having a perfect 4.0 grade-point average.
ABOUT THE NCAA POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Each year, the NCAA awards up to 126 postgraduate scholarships to student-athletes who have completed their final year of athletics competition. The scholarships are distributed three times annually — in the fall, winter and spring — providing 21 scholarships each to men and women per season. The award is a one-time, nonrenewable scholarship intended to support graduate study at an accredited institution.
Established in 1964, the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship program promotes and encourages graduate education by recognizing the Association's most accomplished student-athletes. The program evaluates candidates on their athletic and academic achievements, campus involvement, community service and leadership.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
D
/ Men's SoccerPat Fitzgerald | Signing Day Press Conference | Feb. 4 2026
Wednesday, February 04
A New Era | Pat Fitzgerald's First Day in East Lansing
Wednesday, December 03
Pat Fitzgerald | Football Press Conference | Dec. 2nd, 2025
Tuesday, December 02
Jonathan Smith Postgame Comments | Maryland
Saturday, November 29