ATLANTA, Ga. -- Three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) women's basketball programs earned recognition inside the WBCA Academic Top 25, which ranks college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.
Ashland ranked second overall in NCAA Division II with a GPA of 3.802 from head coach Kari Pickens' squad. Michigan Tech earned the No. 8 spot with a 3.760 GPA, followed by Parkside at No. 9 with a 3.756 GPA.
"The WBCA applauds these head coaches and their teams for their commitment to academic excellence," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. " We appreciate and value the hard work and dedication the players and coaches have put forth to thrive in the classroom and on the basketball court."
| Rank | Institution | Head Coach | GPA |
| 1 | Seton Hill University | Mark Katarski | 3.831 |
| 2 | Ashland University | Kari Pickens | 3.802 |
| 3 | Eckerd College | Paul Honsinger | 3.788 |
| T4 | Tiffin University | Jessie Ivey | 3.779 |
| T4 | Lubbock Christian University | Steve Gomez | 3.779 |
| 6 | Lindenwood University | Katie Falco | 3.768 |
| 7 | Gannon University | Cleve Wright | 3.764 |
| 8 | Michigan Technological University | Samantha Hoyt | 3.760 |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin Parkside | Jen Conely | 3.756 |
| 10 | Minnesota State University Moorhead | Karla Nelson | 3.726 |
| 11 | McKendree University | Kari Kerkhoff | 3.714 |
| 12 | Point Loma Nazarene University | Lisa Faulkner | 3.712 |
| 13 | Bentley University | Barbara Stevens | 3.711 |
| 14 | Rockhurst University | Larry Park | 3.707 |
| 15 | Minnesota State University | Emilee Thiesse | 3.706 |
| 16 | Southern New Hampshire University | Karen Pinkos | 3.679 |
| 17 | Augustana University | Dave Krauth | 3.677 |
| 18 | University of the Sciences | Jackie Hartzell | 3.672 |
| 19 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Lisa Wilson | 3.671 |
| 20 | Chaminade University | Arthur King | 3.663 |
| 21 | West Liberty University | Kyle Cooper | 3.656 |
| 22 | Seattle Pacific University | Mike Simonson | 3.652 |
| 23 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Lynn Plett | 3.646 |
| 24 | Winona State University | Scott Ballard | 3.644 |
| 25 | West Texas A&M University | Kristen Mattio | 3.633 |
A team's GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0) earned by the total number of academic hours attempted by all team members in the academic terms (semesters or quarters) that the season spans. Weighted grades are converted to a 4.0 scale. The GPAs are rounded to the nearest thousandth of a point. Teams are nominated for the honor by the WBCA member head coach. A team must have a 3.000 or better GPA to be nominated.
About the Women's Basketball Coaches Association
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. The WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of a diverse community of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit www.WBCA.org for more details about the Association.
