ATLANTA (July 23, 2019) – Western Illinois University, Tiffin University, Shenandoah University, Indiana Institute of Technology and Snow College sit atop their respective divisions in the 2018-19 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls announced today by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.
Western Illinois, coached by JD Gravina, finished first among NCAA Division I members with a 3.767 cumulative team grade-point average. Tiffin, coached by Jessie Ivey, led NCAA Division II members with a 3.809 GPA. Shenandoah, coached by Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft, took top honors in NCAA Division III with a 3.764 GPA. Indiana Tech, coached by Jessie Biggs, was No. 1 in the NAIA division with a 3.817 GPA. And Snow, coached by Mike Russell, led all two-year college members with a 3.712 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 2018-19 season is the 24th 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 117 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!”
Here are the 2018-19 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls by division. The head coach listed for each institution was its head coach during the 2018-19 season.
NCAA Division I
Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
1 |
Western Illinois University |
JD Gravina |
3.767 |
2 |
North Dakota State University |
Maren Walseth |
3.756 |
3 |
Robert Morris University |
Charlie Buscaglia |
3.713 |
4 |
Drake University |
Jennie Baranczyk |
3.695 |
5 |
University of South Dakota |
Dawn Plitzuweit |
3.690 |
6 |
University of Wyoming |
Joe Legerski |
3.688 |
7 |
Youngstown State University |
John Barnes |
3.668 |
8 |
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay |
Kevin Borseth |
3.641 |
9 |
Illinois State University |
Kristen Gillespie |
3.636 |
10 |
Lehigh University |
Susan Troyan |
3.625 |
11 |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Cindy Stein |
3.621 |
12 |
Northern Arizona University |
Loree Payne |
3.616 |
13 |
Loyola University-Maryland |
Joe Logan |
3.608 |
T14 |
Creighton University |
Jim Flanery |
3.606 |
T14 |
Houston Baptist University |
Donna Finnie |
3.606 |
16 |
George Mason University |
Nyla Milleson |
3.583 |
17 |
DePaul University |
Doug Bruno |
3.561 |
18 |
Rice University |
Tina Langley |
3.552 |
19 |
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
Austin Parkinson |
3.548 |
20 |
Kennesaw State University |
Agnus Berenato |
3.540 |
T21 |
Quinnipiac University |
Trish Fabbri |
3.535 |
T21 |
Stanford University |
Tara VanDerveer |
3.535 |
23 |
Northern Illinois University |
Lisa Carlsen |
3.510 |
24 |
University of North Carolina-Asheville |
Brenda Kirkpatrick |
3.505 |
25 |
University of Northern Iowa |
Tanya Warren |
3.504 |
NCAA Division II
Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
1 |
Tiffin University |
Jessie Ivey |
3.809 |
2 |
Lubbock Christian University |
Steve Gomez |
3.767 |
3 |
Rockhurst University |
Larry Park |
3.737 |
4 |
Seton Hill University |
Mark Katarski |
3.734 |
5 |
University of Findlay |
James Wiedie |
3.725 |
6 |
Fort Hays State University |
Tony Hobson |
3.708 |
7 |
Lindenwood University |
Katie Falco |
3.691 |
8 |
Lee University |
Marty Rowe |
3.672 |
9 |
Purdue University Northwest |
Courtney Locke |
3.666 |
10 |
Augustana University |
Dave Krauth |
3.665 |
11 |
University of Colorado at Colorado Springs |
Lynn Plett |
3.652 |
12 |
Wayne State College |
Brent Pollari |
3.649 |
13 |
Minnesota State University Moorhead |
Karla Nelson |
3.646 |
14 |
Lenoir Rhyne University |
Cameron Sealey |
3.644 |
15 |
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia |
Jackie Hartzell |
3.630 |
16 |
Urbana University |
Andrea McCloskey |
3.628 |
17 |
Chestnut Hill College |
Mike West |
3.626 |
T18 |
Truman State University |
Amy Eagan |
3.598 |
T18 |
Point Loma Nazarene University |
Lisa Faulkner |
3.598 |
20 |
Michigan Technological University |
Samantha Hoyt |
3.574 |
21 |
Northwood University |
Jeff Curtis |
3.565 |
22 |
Chadron State College |
Janet Raymer |
3.560 |
23 |
Walsh University |
Kate Bruce |
3.558 |
24 |
Southern New Hampshire University |
Karen Pinkos |
3.557 |
25 |
Lewis University |
Samantha Quigley Smith |
3.553 |
NCAA Division III
Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
1 |
Shenandoah University |
Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft |
3.764 |
2 |
Vassar College |
Candice Signor-Brown |
3.763 |
3 |
Marymount University |
Ashlee Rogers |
3.703 |
4 |
Ithaca College |
Dan Raymond |
3.679 |
5 |
Thiel College |
Rob Clune |
3.660 |
T6 |
Emerson College |
William Gould |
3.659 |
T6 |
Bethel University |
Jon Herbrechtsmeyer |
3.659 |
8 |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
Sam Dixon |
3.656 |
9 |
Yeshiva University |
Michael Alon |
3.655 |
10 |
Misericordia University |
Jason Rhine |
3.650 |
11 |
Springfield College |
Naomi Graves |
3.623 |
12 |
Sarah Lawrence College |
Bradley Alexander |
3.607 |
13 |
St. Lawrence University |
Dan Roiger |
3.592 |
14 |
Adrian College |
Kathy Morris |
3.591 |
15 |
Principia College |
Dory Smith |
3.590 |
16 |
Elmira College |
Devin Shea |
3.584 |
17 |
Penn State Harrisburg |
Ross Patrick |
3.583 |
18 |
Middlebury College |
KJ Krasco |
3.580 |
19 |
Washington and Lee University |
Christine Clancy |
3.579 |
20 |
Johns Hopkins University |
Katherine Bixby |
3.574 |
21 |
St. Joseph's College-Maine |
Mike McDevitt |
3.568 |
22 |
Marywood University |
Gabby Holko |
3.566 |
23 |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Sonia Raman |
3.553 |
24 |
Hope College |
Brian Morehouse |
3.546 |
25 |
Manchester University |
Josh Dzurick |
3.538 |
NAIA
Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
1 |
Indiana Institute of Technology |
Jessie Biggs |
3.817 |
2 |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) |
Michael Trujillo |
3.718 |
3 |
Taylor University |
Jody Martinez |
3.705 |
4 |
Huntington University |
Lori Culler |
3.699 |
5 |
St. Ambrose University |
Krista Van Hauen |
3.697 |
6 |
Mount Marty College |
Todd James Schlimgen |
3.692 |
7 |
Cardinal Stritch University |
John Pfaffl |
3.690 |
8 |
Grand View University |
Kelli Greenway |
3.689 |
9 |
Lawrence Technological University |
Kylene Biggs |
3.633 |
10 |
Hannibal-LaGrange University |
Kelly Quigle |
3.621 |
11 |
Shawnee State University |
Jeff Nickel |
3.615 |
12 |
University of Pikeville |
Clifton Williams |
3.613 |
13 |
Northwestern College |
Chris Yaw |
3.607 |
14 |
Olivet Nazarene University |
Lauren Glenn |
3.601 |
15 |
The College of Idaho |
Janis Beal |
3.599 |
16 |
University of Rio Grande |
David Smalley |
3.595 |
17 |
Blue Mountain College |
Lavon Driskell |
3.565 |
18 |
The University of Montana Western |
Lindsay Woolley |
3.557 |
19 |
Faulkner University |
Reed Sutton |
3.552 |
20 |
Concordia University (Neb.) |
Drew Olson |
3.551 |
T22 |
Mid-America Christian University |
Hannah Moeller |
3.532 |
T22 |
Milligan College |
Richard Aubrey |
3.532 |
23 |
Peru State College |
Joan Albury |
3.490 |
24 |
Columbia College |
Taylor Possail |
3.487 |
25 |
Culver-Stockton College |
Janette Burgin |
3.466 |
Two-Year College*
Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
1 |
Snow College |
Mike Russell |
3.712 |
2 |
Northwest Mississippi Community College |
Don Edwards |
3.700 |
3 |
Miles Community College |
Nate Vogel |
3.677 |
4 |
Frank Phillips College |
Eric Rodewald |
3.629 |
5 |
South Georgia Technical College |
James Frey |
3.519 |
6 |
Dodge City Community College |
Zach Loll |
3.517 |
7 |
Neosho County Community College |
JJ Davis |
3.453 |
8 |
Umpqua Community College |
David Stricklin |
3.393 |
9 |
John Wood Community College |
Norman Rodriguez |
3.385 |
10 |
Northeastern Junior College |
David Huss |
3.341 |
11 |
Hill College |
Scott Hyland |
3.247 |
12 |
Ventura College |
Ned Mircetic |
3.155 |
13 |
Central Maine Community College |
Andrew Morong |
3.144 |
14 |
Kankakee Community College |
Donnie Denson |
3.136 |
15 |
Seward County Community College |
Austin Mefford |
3.114 |
16 |
Gulf Coast State College |
Mary Scovel |
3.075 |
17 |
Dawson Community College |
Romeo Lagmay |
3.044 |
Note: There were only 17 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.