ATLANTA — Bethel University's women's basketball program was honored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) today in the 2017-18 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls release. The Royals ranked No. 4 among all NCAA Division III women's basketball programs, which is the highest finish in team history. Their previous best was in 2015-16 when BU finished No. 7 overall.
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.
|
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
|
