Wednesday, April 26, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – A successful year for Montana State Billings junior Bailee Dexter both on the course and in the classroom leads the 14 selections to the 2016-17 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Golf All-Academic Team.

Dexter tops the list of honorees with her 3.94 cumulative grade point average as an English major. She is one of seven repeat selections to the squad and one of four honorees with a GPA of 3.80 or better. Dexter participated in the GNAC Women’s Golf Championships, finishing in 19th place.

Joining Dexter on the 3.80 GPA list is Concordia sophomore Madison Welch and Cavaliers’ senior Kelsey Whiles. Welch has a 3.87 GPA and Whiles has a 3.85 GPA, both as accounting majors. Dexter’s MSUB teammate, sophomore Kortney McNeil, has a 3.82 GPA as a pre-professional nursing major while Saint Martin’s junior Sally Fletcher has a 3.87 GPA as a mathematics major.

Montana State Billings and Saint Martin’s each placed four players on the All-Academic Team to lead the GNAC’s six women’s golf programs.

Three of the honorees are three-time selections: Montana State Billings senior Haley Shackelford, Saint Martin’s senior Chloe Read and Western Washington senior Brooke Branigan. Other two-time honorees include Concordia’s Whiles, Saint Martin’s junior Lisa Zelasko and Western Washington junior Jenn Paul.

Of the 14 All-Academic Team honorees, 10 participated in the GNAC Women’s Golf Championships. McNeil and Paul led the All-Academic performers at the tournament, tying for third place at 12-over-par 154.

To qualify for selection to the GNAC All-Academic Teams, a player must be of sophomore standing or better, have a 3.20 cumulative grade point or better and be in their second season of competition at the nominating school.