Westminster 17th In WBCA Academic Top 25

Westminster women's basketball posted the 17th-best grade point average among NCAA Division III teams in the country, marking the eighth time the team has made the list and the seventh consecutive.

The squad posted a team GPA of 3.604 this season to make the list and were the only member of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the top 25. Emerson College topped the list with a 3.712 GPA.

"I was very very pleased with our ladies' effort in the classroom," said Westminster Head Coach James Arnold. "Long before I arrived, the program has established a culture of being great on and off the court. I am so thankful to be able to do my little part in helping our academic success continue."

The participating members of the team GPA are the members who were on the roster at the conclusion of the season, including Kendal Miller (Osage, Mo.), Lydia Hale (Martinsburg, Mo.), Grace Archambault (Eureka, Mo.), Makayla Jackson(Eureka, Mo.), Payton Beeler (Marshall, Mo.), Mirrakohl Johnson (Memphis), Mikalyn Callahan (Lebanon, Mo.), Avery Ingle(Lake St. Louis, Mo.), Kelsey Ray (Dixon, Mo.), Abbe Sutterfield (Ozark, Mo.), Kendahl Adams (Columbia, Mo.), Kelsey Marek(Salisbury, Mo.), and Jahne Williams (Jacksonville, Fla.). 

Westminster first appeared on the list for the 2009-10 season and has been making the list for the last seven years starting in the 2011-12 season. During the 2013-14 season, Westminster placed No. 1 on the list.

The Blue Jays are coached by Arnold and assisted by Clifton Cooper, Talisha Washington, Keener Tippin, and Matt Moore along with student manager Hannah Macon. Dr. Cliff Cain serves as the faculty sponsor for the team.

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 2017-18 season is the 23nd 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 119 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!"

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game as a sport for women and girls. More information on the WBCA can be found at WBCA.org.

View the full WBCA Honor Roll here.

STORY COURTESY OF WESTMINSTER COLLEGE SPORTS INFORMATION