By Andrew Korba
The Ohio Northern women's basketball team is ranked No. 13 in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Top 25.
Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) posted the best team GPA, Emerson (Mass.) was second and Greenville (Ill.) was third.
The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes women's basketball teams across the nation in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, the NAIA, and junior/community colleges that carry the highest combined grade point averages (GPAs) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.
In order to be eligible, a team must have a team cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
The Polar Bears are one of nine teams in the rankings to appear in the NCAA III Tournament.
Under head coach Michele Durand, Northern went 27-2 on the season and won a school record 26 straight games.
ONU also captured the OAC Regular Season championship and the OAC Tournament title and made its first appearance in the NCAA III Tournament since the 1988-89 season.
WBCA Division III Academic Top 25
Rank Team GPA
1. Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) 3.600
2. Emerson (Mass.) 3.571
3. Greenville (Ill.) 3.569
4. Westminster (Mo.) 3.566
5. Simpson (Iowa) 3.559
6. Ithaca (N.Y.) 3.554
7. Hope (Mich.) 3.546
8. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 3.537
9. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Calif.) 3.533
10. Castleton (Vt.) 3.528
11. Northwestern (Minn.) 3.526
12. Marywood (Pa.) 3.514
13. Ohio Northern 3.511
14. Kenyon 3.508
15. Saint Joseph's (Maine) 3.505
16. Lynchburg (Va.) 3.502
17. The College of New Jersey 3.491
18. Wartburg (Iowa) 3.489
19. Case Western Reserve 3.488
20. Calvin (Mich.) 3.485
21. Central (Iowa) 3.483
22. Olivet (Mich.) 3.479
23. California-Santa Cruz 3.455
24. Carthage (Wis.) 3.453
25. Messiah (Pa.) 3.451
