The Academic All-America program is organized annually by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), and it has been sponsored by various corporate partners. ESPN The Magazine currently serves as the title sponsor of the Academic All-America program.

Notre Dame now stands second all-time with 216 Academic All-Americans, trailing only Nebraska's 277, but well ahead of third-place Penn State's 167 honorees. Since 2000, Notre Dame and Nebraska have led the way with 90 selections each.

In addition, Notre Dame ranks in the top-10 in several sports for number of honorees. The Irish have had more Academic All-Americans than any other school in baseball and women's soccer, while also cracking the top-10 in men's at-large (third), men's basketball (10th), football (third), softball (sixth), and men's track/cross country (sixth).

Notre Dame's Academic All-Americans in 2009-10 included: Tim Abromaitis (men's basketball; first team), Mike Anello (football; second team), Cosmina Ciobanu (women's at-large; second team), Lauren Fowlkes (women's soccer; second team), Christine Lux (softball; second team) and Michael Thomas (men's soccer; third team).

To be eligible for Academic All-America status, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have received sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.