ATLANTA - Three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) women's basketball programs have been honored by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)for their academic success. The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; and junior/community college women’s basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point averages (GPAs) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.
Lake Erie College (No. 3), Michigan Technological University (No. 10) and Ashland University (No. 18) we all honored by the WBCA for having team grade point averages that ranked among the Top 25 in Division II.
Eleven of the 26 teams making the honor roll earned postseason berths in the NCAA Division II tournament, with No. 18 Ashland advancing to the national championship game.
A successful season on the court by the Lake Erie College women’s basketball team in 2011-12 was surpassed off the court as the Storm was recognized on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll on Tuesday (July 17) by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. ). Lake Erie is the highest ranked team in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). Lake Erie was ranked third in NCAA Division II with a cumulative team grade point average of 3.684.
The Michigan Tech women’s basketball team finished 10th in the WBCA Top-25 Team Academic Honor Roll for the 2011-12 season. The Huskies posted a cumlative team grade point average of 3.547.The 2011-12 season marks the sixth straight year that the team has earned the award. The team’s finishes the previous five seasons; 2010-11 (20th), 2009-10 (1st), 2008-09 (4th), 2007-08 (2nd) and 2006-07 (4th).
Ashland finished 18th in the final WBCA Top 25 Academic rankings. The Eagles had a team GPA of 3.472. This isthe fifth consecutive season the Eagles have been included among the Top 20 teams in the nation. The Eagles are coached by Sue Ramsey. In 2011-12, AU won the GLIAC championship and advanced to the NCAA Championship Game in San Antonio.
Here is the complete 2012 WBCA Academic Top 25 for NCAA Division II (**-NCAA tournament; *-left after season):
Rank |
Institution |
2011-12 Head Coach |
Team GPA |
1 |
Drury** |
Steve Harold |
3.709 |
2 |
King (Tenn.) |
Josh Thompson |
3.692 |
3 |
Lake Erie |
Robert Booher |
3.684 |
4 |
Fort Hays State |
Tony Hobson |
3.628 |
5 |
Rockhurst |
Larry Park |
3.586 |
6 |
Seton Hill |
Ferne Labati |
3.580 |
7 |
Lindenwood |
James Francis |
3.567 |
8 |
Fort Lewis** |
Mark Kellogg* |
3.562 |
9 |
Holy Family** |
Mark Miller |
3.558 |
10 |
Michigan Tech |
Kimberly Cameron |
3.547 |
11 |
Minnesota State Mankato** |
Pam Gohl* |
3.538 |
12 |
Merrimack |
Monique LeBlanc |
3.532 |
13 |
Minnesota State Moorhead |
Karla Nelson |
3.527 |
14 |
Gannon** |
Cleve Wright |
3.526 |
15 |
Winona State |
Scott Ballard |
3.513 |
16 |
Maryville (Mo.)** |
Chris Ellis |
3.507 |
17 |
Wisconsin-Parkside** |
Jennifer Knight-Kenesie |
3.498 |
18 |
Ashland** |
Sue Ramsey |
3.481 |
19 |
Montana State Billings |
Kevin Woodin |
3.476 |
20 |
Seattle Pacific |
Julie Van Beek |
3.448 |
21 (tie) |
Franklin Pierce** |
Stephen Hancock |
3.446 |
21 (tie) |
Wayne State** |
Chris Kielsmeier |
3.446 |
23 |
Concordia-St. Paul |
Paul Fessler |
3.440 |
24 |
Cal State East Bay |
Suzy Barcomb |
3.427 |
25 (tie) |
St. Thomas Aquinas |
Kim Lusk |
3.415 |
25 (tie) |
Minnesota Duluth** |
Annette Wiles |
3.415 |