In 2001, athletic officials at Francis Marion University organized the state's first chapter of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.

To earn a place in this honor society, a student-athlete must be at least a junior, have a 3.40 cumulative grade point average on a 4.00 scale, and have an endorsement from his or her respective head coach. The nominees are then screened by a selection committee.

Chi Alpha Sigma was founded in May 1996 by DePauw University head football coach Nick Mourouzis. The organization currently has 166 chapters in 38 states. Francis Marion is one of only six chapters in South Carolina, and FMU was the first school to have a chapter in the Palmetto State.

Over the past eight years, 63 different FMU student-athletes have earned this honor.

Chi Alpha Sigma's purposes are: to encourage and reward high academic scholarship of college athletes at four-year accredited institutions; to recognize outstanding academic achievement by intercollegiate varsity letterwinners; to encourage good citizenship, moral character, and friendship among the high academic achievers in college athletics; to recognize and honor the individual athlete, his/her team, sport, athletic department, and college or university; and to mentor and to provide leadership to other athletes.

2001