Wednesday, July 19, 2017

ATLANTA – The two top performing GNAC women’s basketball teams in the classroom have been recognized among the top performing academic teams in the sport by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).

The Western Oregon and Montana State Billings’ women’s basketball squads were named on July 19 to the WBCA Division II Academic Top-25 Honor Roll. The program recognizes WBCA member programs that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.

Western Oregon ranked 21st among all Division II programs for the second year in a row with a 3.539 cumulative grade point average. The Wolves had the highest cumulative GPA of all GNAC women’s basketball programs and tied for the fourth best GPA among all conference women’s programs in 2016-17. Of the 14 players on the WOU roster, seven were named to the GNAC All-Academic Team. Sophomore Ali Nelke was among two women’s basketball players in the GNAC with a perfect 4.00 GPA.

Montana State Billings was one-hundredth of a point behind Western Oregon, ranking 23rd with a 3.529 cumulative grade point average. The Yellowjackets had six players named to the GNAC All-Academic Team, led by a perfect 4.00 by senior Tiana Hanson, who was a Second Team CoSIDA Division Academic All-America selection.

Emporia State University in Kansas led all Division II teams with a 3.744 GPA while Division I Wisconsin-Green Bay led all WBCA recognized programs with a 3.819 GPA. This is the 22nd season in which the WBCA has compiled its Academic Top-25 Honor Roll.