Note: Corrects Division II and Division III honor rolls to reflect that Maryville University, St. Louis, is No. 9 in Division II rather than No. 4 in Division III. Adjusts Division II honor roll to reflect that teams previously ranked No. 9 through No. 25 are now No. 10 through No. 26. Adjusts Division III honor roll to reflect team teams previously ranked No. 5 through No. 25 are now No. 4 through No. 24, and adds Wesleyan University as No. 25.
ATLANTA (July 12, 2011) – South Dakota State University, Fort Lewis College, Case Western Reserve University, the University of Great Falls and Seward County Community College are the top honorees in their respective divisions in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for the 2010-11 season, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced today.
The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Divisions I, II and III; NAIA; and junior college/community college teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point averages (GPAs) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2010-11 season is the 16th in which the WBCA has presented the standings.
Here are the top honorees by division, their head coaches and combined GPAs:
| Division | Institution | 2010-11 Head Coach | Team GPA | |
| NCAA Division I | South Dakota State | Aaron Johnson | 3.666 | |
| NCAA Division II | Fort Lewis | Mark Kellogg | 3.715 | |
| NCAA Division III | Case Western Reserve | Jennifer Reimer | 3.609 | |
| NAIA | Great Falls | Bill Himmelberg | 3.652 | |
| Junior/Community College | Seward County | Toby Wynn | 3.527 |
South Dakota State and Seward County sit atop the NCAA Division I and junior college/community college standings respectively for the fourth time. It is South Dakota State’s seventh-straight appearance in the Division I standings and, counting two appearances in the Division II standings, the Jackrabbits’ ninth Academic Top 25 appearance overall. Seward County is making its fifth-straight and seventh-overall appearance in the junior/community college standings. For Fort Lewis, Case Western Reserve and Great Falls, this marks their first No. 1 finish in their respective divisions, and further for Great Falls, its first-ever Academic Top 25 appearance.
"With the increased importance and scrutiny of the APR (academic progress rate) in the landcape of intercollegiate athletics, these remarkable teams are setting the bar for academic excellence," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "Congratulations to all these STUDENT-athletes and their coaches."
A team’s GPA is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of 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 a WBCA-member head coach. A team must have a 3.000 or better GPA to be nominated.
NCAA Division I
South Dakota State sits atop the NCAA Division I Academic Top 25 with a 3.666 team GPA. It is the fourth time the Jackrabbits, coached by Aaron Johnston, have placed first in the Division I standings and their seventh consecutive appearance on the Division I honor roll. South Dakota State finished the season with a 19-14 record and won its third-straight Summit League tournament championship. The Jackrabbits lost to Xavier in the first round of the NCAA tournament’s Spokane Regional.
Seven of the top 25 teams qualified for the NCAA tournament with No. 3 DePaul University and No. 19 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay reaching the NCAA Sweet Sixteen®.
Here is the complete 2011 WBCA Academic Top 25 for NCAA Division I:
| Rank | Institution | 2010-11 Head Coach | Team GPA | |
| 1 | South Dakota State University | Aaron Johnston | 3.666 | |
| 2 | Bucknell University | Kathy Fedorjaka | 3.632 | |
| 3 | DePaul University | Douglas Bruno | 3.582 | |
| 4 | Creighton University | Jim Flanery | 3.527 | |
| 5 | Utah Valley University | Cathy Nixon | 3.524 | |
| 6 | Indiana State University | Teri Moren | 3.518 | |
| 7 | University of Hartford | Jennifer Rizzoti | 3.456 | |
| 8 | University of New Mexico | Don Flanagan |
3.454 | |
| 9 | University of Dayton | James Jabir | 3.445 | |
| 10 | Canisius College | Terrence Zeh | 3.441 | |
| 11 | Bowling Green State University | Curt Miller | 3.433 | |
| 12 | Montana State University-Bozeman | Tricia Binford | 3.419 | |
| 13 | University of Montana | Robin Selvig | 3.411 | |
| 14 | University of Akron | Jodi Kest | 3.405 | |
| 15 | University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee | Sandy Botham | 3.402 | |
| 16 | Oakland University | Beckie Francis | 3.399 | |
| 17 | Youngstown State University | Robert Boldon | 3.395 | |
| 18 | University of South Dakota | Ryun Williams | 3.390 | |
| 19 | University of Wisconsin, Green Bay | Matthew Bollant | 3.378 | |
| 20 | University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Phil Stern | 3.374 | |
| 21 | Lipscomb University | Frank Bennett | 3.373 | |
| T22 | University of North Dakota | Gene Roebuck | 3.358 | |
| T22 | University of Northern Colorado | Jaime White | 3.358 | |
| 24 | University of Evansville | Oties Epps | 3.340 | |
| 25 | University of Denver | Erik Johnson | 3.335 |
NCAA Division II
Fort Lewis, coached by Mark Kellogg, concludes an already outstanding 2010-11 season by not only finishing atop the Division II Academic Top 25 standings, but also by earning the highest team GPA (3.715) in all five divisions. The Skyhawks finished the season with a 28-2 record and won their first-ever Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournament championship. They suffered an overtime loss to Adams State College in the NCAA Division II Central Regional.
Seven of the top 26 teams earned postseason berths in the NCAA Division II tournament, with No. 20 Michigan Technical University advancing to the national championship game.
Here is the complete 2011 WBCA Academic Top 25 for NCAA Division II (**-No. 9 Maryville University, St. Louis, was incorrectly listed on Division III honor roll on original July 11 release; teams originally ranked No. 9 through No. 25 have been re-ranked No. 10 through No. 26):
| Rank | Institution | 2010-11 Head Coach | Team GPA | |
| 1 | Fort Lewis College | Mark Kellogg | 3.715 | |
| 2 | Chadron State College | Tim Connealy | 3.644 | |
| 3 | Drury University | Steve Harold | 3.59 | |
| 4 | Winona State University | Scott Ballard | 3.578 | |
| 5 | Holy Family University | Mark Miller | 3.577 | |
| 6 | Truman State University | Michael Smith | 3.571 | |
| 7 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | Pam Gohl | 3.568 | |
| 8 | Montana State University, Billings | Kevin Woodin | 3.553 | |
| 9 |
Maryville University, St. Louis** |
Chris Ellis |
3.552 | |
| 10 | Seton Hill University | Ferne Labati | 3.534 | |
| 11 | Franklin Pierce University | Stephen Hancock | 3.524 | |
| 12 | Fort Hays State University | Tony Hobson | 3.523 | |
| 13 | Ohio Dominican University | Nathan Bellman | 3.521 | |
| 14 | Rockhurst University | Larry Park | 3.513 | |
| 15 | University of Southern Indiana | Rick Stein | 3.511 | |
| 16 | University of Minnesota, Duluth | Annette Wiles | 3.484 | |
| T17 | Ashland University | Sue Ramsey | 3.472 | |
| T17 | Urbana University | Rob Phillips | 3.472 | |
| 19 | University of The Incarnate Word | Angela Lawson | 3.461 | |
| 20 |
Michigan Technological University | Kimberly Cameron | 3.459 | |
| 21 | Lake Erie College | Robert Booher | 3.456 | |
| 22 | Wayne State College | Chris Kielsmeier | 3.452 | |
| 23 | Regis University | Linda Raunig | 3.451 | |
| 24 | Southwest Minnesota State University | Allison Kruger | 3.427 | |
| 25 | Ferris State University | Tracey Dorow | 3.417 | |
| 26 | University of Nebraska, Omaha | Chance Lindley | 3.405 |
NCAA Division III
Case Western Reserve, with a division-best 3.609 GPA, is making its second appearance in the NCAA Division III Academic Top 25. Coached by Jennifer Reimer, the Spartans finished the season with a 13-12 record.
Seven of the top 25 teams qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament, with No. 14 Thomas More College, No. 17 Coe College and No. 18 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point advancing to the regional round.
Here is the complete 2011 WBCA Academic Top 25 for NCAA Division III (**-No. 4 Maryville University, St. Louis, was incorrectly listed on Division III honor roll on original July 11 release and has been moved to No. 9 on Division II honor roll; teams originally ranked No. 5 through No. 25 have been re-ranked No. 4 through No. 24, and Wesleyan University has been added at No. 25):
| Rank | Institution | 2010-11 Head Coach | Team GPA | |
| 1 | Case Western Reserve University | Jennifer Reimer | 3.609 | |
| 2 | Centenary College | Lorie Khalil | 3.561 | |
| 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Sonia Raman | 3.560 | |
| 4 |
Carthage College | Tim Bernero | 3.545 | |
| 5 |
Messiah College | Michael Miller | 3.538 | |
| 6 |
University of Wisconsin, Superior | Donald Mulhern | 3.537 | |
| 7 |
Gustavus Adolphus College | Mickey Haller | 3.534 | |
| 8 |
Northland College | Bill Wilson | 3.531 | |
| T9 | Simpson College | Brian Niemuth | 3.519 | |
| T9 | University of St Thomas | Ruth Sinn | 3.519 | |
| 11 | Immaculata University | Patricia Canterino | 3.508 | |
| 12 | Elizabethtown College | Yvonne Kauffman | 3.507 | |
| 13 | King's College | Brian Donoghue | 3.497 | |
| 14 | Thomas More College | Jeff Hans | 3.484 | |
| 15 | Emerson College | Bill Gould | 3.476 | |
| 16 | Ohio Northern University | Michele Durand | 3.475 | |
| 17 | Coe College | Randi Peterson | 3.464 | |
| 18 | University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point | Shirley Egner | 3.459 | |
| 19 |
Yeshiva University | Karen Green | 3.457 | |
| 20 | Central College | Jerry Nikkel |
3.456 | |
| 21 | Vassar College | Candice Brown | 3.450 | |
| 22 | Catholic University of America | Matthew Donohue | 3.447 | |
| 23 | Saint Vincents College | James Petruska | 3.433 | |
| 24 | William Smith College | Lindsay Drury | 3.432 | |
| 25 | Wesleyan University |
Kate Mullen |
3.429 |
NAIA
Great Falls debuts atop the NAIA Academic Top 25 with a 3.652 team GPA. The Argos, under the direction of first-year head coach Bill Himmelberg, finished the season with a 10-20 record.
Eleven of the top 25 teams – five in NAIA Division I and six in NAIA Division II -- qualified for the NAIA national tournaments in their respective divisions. No. 7 Northwestern College defeated No. 3 Davenport University in the NAIA Division II national championship game.
Here is the complete 2011 WBCA Academic Top 25 for NAIA:
| Rank | Institution | 2010-11 Head Coach | Team GPA | |
| 1 | University of Great Falls | Bill Himmelberg | 3.652 | |
| 2 | Grand View University | Garey Smith | 3.609 | |
| 3 | Davenport University | Mark Youngs | 3.603 | |
| 4 | Shorter University | Vic Mitchell | 3.584 | |
| 5 | Saint Ambrose University | Krista Van Hauen | 3.518 | |
| 6 | Georgetown College | Susan Johnson | 3.480 | |
| 7 | Northwestern College | Earl Woudstra | 3.455 | |
| 8 | Mid America Nazarene University | John Lewis | 3.453 | |
| 9 | Indiana University-South Bend | Steve Bruce | 3.429 | |
| T10 | College Of The Ozarks | George Wilson | 3.416 | |
| T10 | Mount Vernon Nazarene University | Steve Gregory | 3.416 | |
| 12 | South Dakota Tech | Barbara Felderman | 3.405 | |
| 13 | Blue Mountain College | Lavon Driskell | 3.397 | |
| T14 | Central Methodist University | Andi Brooks | 3.392 | |
| T14 | Corban College | Terry Williams | 3.392 | |
| 16 | Lindenwood University | James Francis | 3.388 | |
| 17 | William Woods University | Dan Chapla | 3.384 | |
| 18 | Houghton College | Harold Lord | 3.380 | |
| 19 | Midland Lutheran College | Joanne Bracker | 3.341 | |
| 20 | Saint Xavier University | Robert Hallberg | 3.333 | |
| 21 | Campbellsville University | Ginger Colvin | 3.330 | |
| 22 | Lewis-Clark State College | Brian Orr | 3.327 | |
| 23 | University Of Rio Grande | David Smalley | 3.316 | |
| 24 | Cornerstone University | Carla Fles | 3.315 | |
| 25 | Montreat College | Craig Jackson | 3.312 |
Junior/Community College
Junior/community college leader Seward County, located in Liberal, Kan., is making its seventh appearance (fifth straight) in the honor roll, which features only 12 teams due to the limited number of eligible nominations received. The Saints, coached by Toby Wynn, ended the season with a 21-11 record after losing in the NJCAA Region VI quarterfinals.
No. 9 Lincoln College, located in Lincoln, Ill., made the junior/community college honor roll for the 13th straight season – the most appearances of any team in any division in this year’s honor rolls.
Here is the 2011 WBCA Academic Top 12 for junior/community colleges (only 12 teams are ranked due to the limited number of eligible nominations received):
| Rank | Institution | 2010-11 Head Coach | Team GPA | |
| 1 | Seward County Community College | Toby Wynn | 3.527 | |
| 2 | Miles Community College | Lindsay Woolley | 3.432 | |
| 3 | Hill College | Aaron Kallhoff | 3.326 | |
| 4 | Sheridan College | Frank McCarthy | 3.319 | |
| 5 | Ellsworth Community College | Ed Geitz | 3.173 | |
| 6 | Minnesota West Community & Technical College | Michael Fury | 3.169 | |
| 7 | Northwest College | Janis Beal | 3.123 | |
| 8 | Columbia Basin Community College | Cheryl Holden | 3.120 | |
| 9 | Lincoln College | Carol Wilson | 3.119 | |
| 10 | Lon Morris College | Brenita Williams | 3.089 | |
| 11 | Jefferson College | Tonika Bruce | 3.048 | |
| 12 | Ventura College | Ned Mircetic | 3.037 |
About the WBCA:
Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association promotes women’s basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as a sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, visit wbca.org.
