From the WBCA

ATLANTA (July 24, 2024) – Youngstown State University, Ashland University, Williams College, Sterling College and Folsom Lake College sit atop their respective divisions in the 2023-24 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls announced today by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2023-24 season is the 29th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

Youngstown State, coached by John Nicolais, finished first among NCAA Division I members with a 3.868 cumulative team grade-point average. Ashland, coached by Kari Pickens, claimed top academic honors in NCAA Division II with a 3.875 GPA. Williams, coached by Patricia Manning, took top honors in NCAA Division III with a 3.856 GPA. Sterling, coached by K.C. Bassett, was No. 1 in the NAIA division with a 3.831 GPA. Folsom Lake, coached by Ali Mollet, finished atop the two-year college standings with a 3.564 GPA.

"The WBCA is pleased to recognize those women's basketball programs that have committed themselves to excellence on the court and in the classroom," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew.  "The 112 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!"

Here are the 2023-24 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls by division. The head coach listed for each institution was its head coach during the 2023-24 season. Teams having a 3.0 combined GPA and qualifying for consideration for the top 25 in their respective divisions are also listed as special mentions.

NCAA Division I

Special Mention: Lafayette, Kia Damon-Olson, 3.594; Portland, Michael Meek, 3.580; UNC Charlotte, Tomekia Reed, 3.573; Robert Morris, Chandler McCabe, 3.540; Holy Cross, Maureen Magarity, 3.535; Drexel, Amy Mallon, 3.533; Bradley , Kate Popovec-Goss, 3.529; DePaul, Doug Bruno, 3.529; Richmond, Aaron Roussell, 3.528; Milwaukee, Kyle Rechlicz, 3.527; Western Michigan, Shane Clipfell, 3.522; Albany, Colleen Mullen, 3.521; Stonehill, Trisha Brown, 3.520; UC Santa Barbara, Renee Jimenez, 3.519; Illinois, Shauna Green, 3.509; Bowling Green, Fred Chmiel, 3.508; East Tennessee State , Brenda Mock Brown, 3.506; Valparaiso, Mary Evans, 3.506; Pacific, Bradley Davis, 3.504; Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Royce Chadwick, 3.495; Fresno State, Jaime White, 3.494; Yale, Dalila Eshe, 3.493; Lehigh , Addie Micir, 3.481; Fairfield, Carly Thibault, 3.475; Kent State, Todd Starkey, 3.471; Florida Gulf Coast, Karl Smesko, 3.471; Iona, Angelika Szumilo, 3.464; Cleveland State, Chris Kielsmeier, 3.464; Utah, Lynne Roberts, 3.446; Binghamton, Bethann Shapiro Ord, 3.438; Creighton, Jim Flanery, 3.428; Indiana, Teri Moren, 3.428; Eastern Washington, Joddie Gleason, 3.421; Colgate, Ganiyat Adeduntan, 3.420; Elon, Charlotte Smith, 3.419; Georgetown, Darnell Haney, 3.419; Villanova, Denise Dillon, 3.417; Vanderbilt, Shea Ralph, 3.416; La Salle, Mountain MacGillivray, 3.413; San Diego, Cindy Fisher, 3.412; Florida State, Brooke Wyckoff, 3.410; Montana State, Tricia Binford, 3.409; Saint Joseph's, Cindy Griffin, 3.401; Stanford, Tara VanDerveer, 3.401; Iowa State, Bill Fennelly, 3.389; Alabama, Kristy Curry, 3.386; Longwood, Erika Lang-Montgomery, 3.383; Illinois State, Kristen Gillespie, 3.380; South Florida, Jose Fernandez, 3.377; Lipscomb, Lauren Sumski, 3.372; Ohio State, Kevin McGuff, 3.372; Denver, Doshia Woods, 3.365; UC Irvine, Tamara Inoue, 3.362; Syracuse, Felisha Legette-Jack, 3.358; California, Charmin Smith, 3.339; Georgia State, Gene Hill, 3.329; New Hampshire, Megan Shoniker, 3.328; Iowa, Lisa Bluder, 3.327; Tulane, Ashley Langford, 3.320; Louisville, Jeff Walz, 3.319; Nevada , Amanda Levens, 3.312; Hofstra, Danielle Santos Atkinson, 3.308; Bethune-Cookman, Janell Crayton, 3.303; Rider , Lynn Milligan, 3.302; Tennessee, Kellie Harper, 3.301; Seton Hall, Anthony Bozzella, 3.298; Portland State, Chelsey Gregg, 3.298; UAB, Randy Norton, 3.297; Liberty, Carey Green, 3.296; Kansas State, Jeff Mittie, 3.281; Penn State, Carolyn Kieger, 3.281; Pennsylvania, Mike McLaughlin, 3.272; St. Bonaventure, James Crowley, 3.250; Massachusetts, Mike Leflar, 3.246; Kansas, Brandon Schneider, 3.245; Sacramento State, Aaron Kallhoff, 3.243; Tulsa, Angie Nelp, 3.239; UNLV, Lindy La Rocque, 3.238; Colorado, JR Payne, 3.225; Niagara, Jada Pierce, 3.222; Southern Illinois, Kelly Bond-White, 3.220; Oklahoma State, Jacie Hoyt, 3.216; Arizona State, Natasha Adair, 3.188; Brigham Young, Amber Whiting, 3.178; West Virginia, Mark Kellogg, 3.163; Central Florida, Sytia Messer, 3.156; Texas A&M-Commerce, Valerie King, 3.151; Oklahoma, Jennie Baranczyk, 3.139; Illinois Chicago, Ashleen Bracey, 3.129; Notre Dame, Niele Ivey, 3.122; UMass Lowell, Denise King, 3.117; Rutgers, Coquese Washington, 3.094; Maryland, Brenda Frese, 3.087; St. John's, Joe Tartamella, 3.078; Georgia Southern, Anita Howard, 3.046; North Carolina, Courtney Banghart, 3.012; Texas Tech, Krista Gerlich, 3.009; North Texas, Jason Burton, 3.005.

About the Women's Basketball Coaches Association

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is the professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport. Visit WBCA.org for more details about the association.