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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