WBCA announces 2017-18 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls

ATLANTA (July 31, 2018) ­— University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, Michigan Technological University, Emerson College, Mount Marty College and Northwest College sit atop their respective divisions in the 2017-18 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls announced today by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Green Bay, coached by Kevin Borseth, finished first among NCAA Division I members with a 3.753 cumulative team grade-point average. Michigan Tech, coached by Kim Cameron, led NCAA Division II members with a 3.796 GPA. Emerson, coached by William Gould, took top honors in NCAA Division III with a 3.712 GPA. Mount Marty, coached by Thomas Schlimgen, was No. 1 in the NAIA division with a 3.683 GPA. And Northwest, coached by Janis Beal, led all two-year college members with a 3.449 GPA.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2017-18 season is the 23nd in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

“The WBCA is pleased to recognize those women’s basketball programs that have committed themselves to excellence on the court and in the classroom,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew.  “The 119 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!”

Here are the 2017-18 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls by division. The head coach listed for each institution was its head coach during the 2017-18 season.

NCAA Division I

Rank

Institution

Head Coach

GPA

1

University of Wisconsin, Green Bay

Kevin Borseth

3.753

2

Western Illinois University

Jd Gravina

3.751

3

St. Francis College

John  Thurston

3.749

4

Robert Morris University

Charlie Buscaglia

3.748

5

Loyola University Maryland

Joseph Logan

3.736

6

University of Idaho

Jon Newlee

3.691

7

Drake University

Jennie Baranczyk

3.653

8

South Dakota State University

Aaron Johnston

3.641

9

Creighton University

Jim Flanery

3.633

10

Youngstown State University

John Barnes

3.615

11

IUPUI

Austin Parkinson

3.614

12

Miami University OH

Megan Duffy

3.600

13

Belmont University

Bart Brooks

3.595

14

Lafayette College

Kia Damon

3.538

15

DePaul University

Douglas Bruno

3.531

16

Utah Valley University

Cathy Nixon

3.508

17

University of South Dakota

Dawn Plitzuweit

3.506

T18

Eastern Washington University

Wendy Schuller

3.500

T18

North Dakota State University

Maren Walseth

3.500

20

Fairfield University

Joseph Frager

3.499

21

University of Northern Colorado

Kamie Ethridge

3.490

22

University of Wyoming

Joe Legerski

3.476

23

Houston Baptist

Donna Finnie

3.472

24

Fordham University

Stephanie Gaitley

3.464

25

Eastern Illinois University

Matthew Bollant

3.456

 

NCAA Division II

Rank

Institution

Head Coach

GPA

1

Michigan Technological University

Kim Cameron

3.796

2

Purdue University Northwest

Tom Megyesi

3.755

3

Lubbock Christian University

Steve Gomez

3.750

4

University of Findlay

James Wiedie

3.706

5

Lenoir Rhyne University

Cameron Sealey

3.701

6

Ashland University

Robyn Fralick

3.699

7

Minnesota State University, Moorhead

Karla Nelson

3.686

8

Rockhurst University

Larry Park

3.683

9

Univ. of Colorado-Colorado Springs

Lynn Plett

3.682

10

Wayne State College

Chris Kielsmeier

3.677

11

McKendree University

Kari Kerkhoff

3.673

12

University of the Sciences

Jackie Hartzell

3.672

13

Fort Hays State University

Tony Hobson

3.667

14

Regis University

Molly Marrin

3.648

15

Seton Hill University

Mark Katarski

3.643

T16

University of Southern Indiana

Rick Stein

3.640

T16

Fort Lewis College

Jason Flores

3.640

18

Augustana University

Dave Krauth

3.634

19

Gannon University

James Brunelli

3.615

20

Minnesota State University, Mankato

Emilee Thiesse

3.611

21

University of Mary

Rick Neumann

3.596

22

Quincy University

Jenifer Garber

3.589

23

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Lisa Nuxol-Wilson

3.584

24

Saginaw Valley State University

Jamie Pewinski

3.575

25

Walsh University

Katie  Bruce

3.574

 

NCAA Division III

Rank

Institution

Head Coach

GPA

1

Emerson College

William Gould

3.712

2

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Tonja Englund

3.704

3

Yeshiva University

Michael Alon

3.692

4

Bethel University

Jon Herbrechtsmeyer

3.689

5

MIT

Sonia Raman

3.680

T6

Vassar College

Candice Brown

3.658

T6

Carthage College

Tim Bernero

3.658

8

Messiah College

Mike Miller

3.656

9

Pacific Lutheran University

Jennifer Childress-White

3.629

10

Johns Hopkins University

Katherine Bixby

3.625

11

Shenandoah University

Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft

3.622

12

Baldwin Wallace University

Cheri Harrer

3.621

13

Middlebury College

KJ Krasco

3.619

14

Manchester University

Josh Dzurick

3.617

15

Misericordia University

Jason Rhine

3.616

16

Bard College

Casi  Donelan

3.614

17

Westminster College (MO)

James Arnold

3.604

18

Buena Vista University

Janet Berry

3.598

19

University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg

Hayley Schaetzle

3.594

20

Martin Luther College

Daniel Gawrisch

3.584

21

Washington and Lee University

Christine Clancy

3.581

22

Houghton College

Alicia Mucher

3.577

23

Marymount University

Ashlee Rogers

3.569

24

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Brad Fischer

3.567

25

Wilmington College

Jerry Scheve

3.551

 

NAIA

Rank

Institution

Head Coach

GPA

1

Mount Marty College

Tom Schlimgen

3.683

2

Indiana Institute of Technology

Jessie Biggs

3.675

3

Taylor University

Jody Martinez

3.672

4

Huntington University

Lori Culler

3.664

T5

Doane University

Tracee Fairbanks

3.663

T5

Saint Xavier University

Bob Hallberg

3.663

7

Northwestern College

Chris Yaw

3.611

8

Cardinal Stritch University

John Pfaffl

3.588

9

Shawnee State University

Jeff Nickel

3.578

10

Lawrence Tech University

Kylene Spiegel

3.571

T11

St. Ambrose University

Krista Van Hauen

3.569

T11

Milligan College

Richard Aubrey

3.569

13

Montana State University-Northern

Chris Mouat

3.552

14

University of St. Francis (IL)

Steve Brooks

3.548

15

University of Pikeville

Clifton Williams

3.482

16

John Brown University

Jeff Soderquist

3.473

17

Mid-America Christian University

Hannah Moeller

3.469

18

Lyon College

Tracy Stewart-Lange

3.466

19

University of Providence

Bill Himmelberg

3.456

20

Concordia University (MI)

Thad Sankey

3.444

21

Columbia College (MO)

Taylor Possail

3.437

22

William Woods University

Dan Chapla

3.393

23

Kansas Wesleyan University

Ryan Showman

3.369

24

Hannibal-LaGrange University

Kelly Quigle

3.365

25

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Mark Molder

3.332

 

Two-Year College

Rank

Institution

Head Coach

GPA

1

Northwest College

Janis Beal

3.449

2

John Wood Community College

Norman Rodriguez

3.425

3

Harcum College

Brittany Clark

3.399

4

Northeastern Junior College

David Huss

3.391

5

Umpqua Community College

David Stricklin

3.374

6

Frank Phillips College

Eric Rodewald

3.367

7

Dodge City Community College

Zach Loll

3.344

8

Neosho County Community College

Jj  Davis

3.286

9

Minnesota West Community College

Rosalie Hayenga

3.250

10

Pima Community College

Todd Holthaus

3.247

11

Elgin Community College

Jerry Mclaughlin

3.213

12

Hill College

Scott Hyland

3.208

13

Central Maine Community College

Andrew Morong

3.202

14

Ventura College

Ned Mircetic

3.182

15

Northwest Mississippi Comm. College

Don Edwards

3.122

16

Dawson Community College

Romeo Lagmay

3.098

17

Solano College

Matt Borchert

3.063

18

Illinois Central College

Karrie Redeker

3.060

19

Chandler-Gilbert Community College

Brian Rosario

3.038

Note: There were only 19 institutions eligible for nomination in the two-year college division.

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.

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