Monday, April 27, 2020

PORTLAND, Ore. – Two of the leading student-athletes on the two-time defending Division II national champion team, Central Oklahoma seniors Eileen Anderson and Bailee Thomas lead the 66 selections to the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Rowing All-Academic Team.

The duo were the lone student-athletes on the squad with perfect 4.00 grade point averages. Both played key roles in the Bronchos rowing to NCAA Division II championships in 2018 and 2019.

Anderson, who has her 4.00 GPA as a strategic communication major, is a three-time national champion as a member of the Bronchos’ varsity 8+ crew. Thomas, who has a 4.00 GPA as a double major in forensic science and psychology, was a member of the UCO national champion varsity 8+ and was named the Elite 90 Award winner at the 2019 Division II Championships. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete competing at each NCAA Championships site with the highest cumulative point average.

Anderson and Thomas were among six student-athletes on the Women’s Rowing All-Academic Team with a 3.90 GPA or better and among 65 with GPAs or 3.80 or better. Also among the 3.90 GPA honorees is Humboldt State sophomore Emma Modrick and junior Hannah Shapiro; Seattle Pacific junior Suzanne Stafford and Western Washington junior Maddie Bangasser.

Seattle Pacific led all GNAC teams with 17 All-Academic selections. UC San Diego finished with 16 selections.

The GNAC All-Academic Teams honor excellence in the classroom while committing to the rigor of being part of a collegiate athletic program. Nominees must be of sophomore eligibility or greater, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 or greater, be a letterwinner on their team and must be in their second season at the nominating institution.

2020 GNAC WOMEN'S ROWING ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM