ATLANTA –
For just the second time in program history, the Northwest women's basketball team has been recognized on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association has announced.
The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III; NAIA; and junior/community college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point average (GPA) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2016-17 season is the 22nd in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.
With a 3.121 cumulative grade-point average, the 2016-17 Northwest women's basketball team finished 12th in the Junior/Community College Division and joins Northeast (3.096) as one of only two representatives from the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC).
It's the third honor this offseason for the Lady Rangers, also being named as an All-Academic Team for both the MACJC and the NJCAA.
"The WBCA family is committed to the student-athlete experience and celebrates these teams that have demonstrated excellence in the classroom," WBCA executive director Danielle Donehew said. "This year's WBCA Academic Top 25 is a powerful list of teams and their head coaches who have winning cultures that prepare their student-athletes for success in life."
| Rk |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
| 1 |
Des Moines Area Community College |
Steve Krafcisin |
3.539 |
| 2 |
Snow College |
Mike Russell |
3.517 |
| 3 |
Northwest College |
Janis Beal |
3.510 |
| 4 |
Dawson Community College |
Romeo Lagmay |
3.402 |
| 5 |
Umpqua Community College |
Dave Stricklin |
3.335 |
| 6 |
Moberly Area Community College |
Chad Killinger |
3.329 |
| 7 |
Ventura College |
Ned Mircetic |
3.325 |
| 8 |
Illinois Central College |
Karrie Redeker |
3.321 |
| 9 |
McHenry Community College |
Karen Wiley |
3.303 |
| 10 |
Minnesota West Community and Technical College |
Rosalie Hayenga |
3.261 |
| 11 |
Gulf Coast State College |
Roonie Scovel |
3.238 |
| 12 |
Northwest Mississippi Community College |
Don Edwards |
3.121 |
| 13 |
Indian River State College |
Diana Couch |
3.117 |
| 14 |
Northeast Mississippi Community College |
Brenda Mayes |
3.096 |
| 15 |
Frank Phillips College |
Eric Rodewald |
3.081 |
| 16 |
Tallahassee Community College |
Franqua Bedell |
3.070 |
| 17 |
Ellsworth Community College |
Ed Geitz |
3.043 |
