ATLANTA – Two BIG EAST women’s basketball teams were among the top 25 in Division I recognized for their 2018-19 cumulative grade-point averages. Creighton led all conference teams with a 3.606 to rank tied for 14
th nationally, followed by DePaul with a 3.561 average to rank 17
th. The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2018-19 season is the 24th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.
“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 117 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!”
The Bluejays have earned the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor eight times in head coach Jim Flanery's 16 seasons at the helm. The Blue Demons have appeared in 15 of the 24 all-time polls. They have been honored in 13 of the last 14, ranked as high as No. 2 (2011-12 and 2010-11) and have a total of six top-10 finishes since 2005-06.
Complete WBCA release
| Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
| 1 |
Western Illinois University |
JD Gravina |
3.767 |
| 2 |
North Dakota State University |
Maren Walseth |
3.756 |
| 3 |
Robert Morris University |
Charlie Buscaglia |
3.713 |
| 4 |
Drake University |
Jennie Baranczyk |
3.695 |
| 5 |
University of South Dakota |
Dawn Plitzuweit |
3.690 |
| 6 |
University of Wyoming |
Joe Legerski |
3.688 |
| 7 |
Youngstown State University |
John Barnes |
3.668 |
| 8 |
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay |
Kevin Borseth |
3.641 |
| 9 |
Illinois State University |
Kristen Gillespie |
3.636 |
| 10 |
Lehigh University |
Susan Troyan |
3.625 |
| 11 |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Cindy Stein |
3.621 |
| 12 |
Northern Arizona University |
Loree Payne |
3.616 |
| 13 |
Loyola University-Maryland |
Joe Logan |
3.608 |
| T14 |
Creighton University |
Jim Flanery |
3.606 |
| T14 |
Houston Baptist University |
Donna Finnie |
3.606 |
| 16 |
George Mason University |
Nyla Milleson |
3.583 |
| 17 |
DePaul University |
Doug Bruno |
3.561 |
| 18 |
Rice University |
Tina Langley |
3.552 |
| 19 |
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis |
Austin Parkinson |
3.548 |
| 20 |
Kennesaw State University |
Agnus Berenato |
3.540 |
| T21 |
Quinnipiac University |
Trish Fabbri |
3.535 |
| T21 |
Stanford University |
Tara VanDerveer |
3.535 |
| 23 |
Northern Illinois University |
Lisa Carlsen |
3.510 |
| 24 |
University of North Carolina-Asheville |
Brenda Kirkpatrick |
3.505 |
| 25 |
University of Northern Iowa |
Tanya Warren |
3.504 |