ATLANTA, Ga. -- North Dakota State University was among the teams recognized by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) as the organization announced its 2004-2005 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and Junior College/Community College.

The awards recognize teams throughout the nation that have the highest grade point averages (GPA) for the 2004-05 season based upon nominations submitted by WBCA-member coaches. NDSU, coached by Amy Ruley, had a 3.476 GPA for the 2004-05 academic year.

North Dakota State went 26-1 in 2004-05 during its second of a five-year transition to NCAA Division I. The 2005-06 Bison schedule features five teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament (Minnesota, Wisconsin-Green Bay, Middle Tennessee, New Mexico, Montana), and two others that went to the Women's NIT (Arkansas State and Texas A&M Corpus Christi) last season.

"Based on graduation-rate research, the female student-athlete cohort has consistently graduated at the highest rate, followed by female students, male students and male student-athletes," said WBCA Chief Executive Officer Beth Bass. "These 115 teams set the standard for student-athletes to excel in the classroom as well as on the court. Congratulations!"

Concordia (NE) University is not a stranger to the Academic Top 25 as they are crowned for the sixth straight year at number one (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004). Indiana State University (2003) and Drury University (2004) are both returners to the number one seed in the Top 25 as well. York College and Lincoln College are making their mark on the Academic Top 25 with their first, first-place finish. All first place schools have previously been honored on the Academic Honor Roll placing in the top 25 within the past five years.

GPAs are calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by each student-athlete on an institution's squad list in the given academic terms by the total number of hours earned by the team. The GPAs are rounded to the nearest thousandth of a point.

NCAA Division I
Indiana State University's Jim Wiedie enters his fifth season as head coach with his team putting in almost as many appearances with four consecutive in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. After finishing first in 2003, his team couldn't bear their second place finish in 2004 and had to redeem their efforts, proving successful as they finished at the top of their ranks this past season.

"It's really just a testament to the quality student-athletes that we recruit, " Wiedie said. "We have a phenomenal academic enrichment center and our coordinators there do a terrific job and we are very fortunate."

Not only has Wiedie led his team to succeed in the classroom, but the Indiana State University has reached new levels on the court as his 2004-2005 squad finished the season with 23 wins and a record of 23-9 overall.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division I is as follows:

NCAA Division II
The Drury University women's basketball team set the standard among all divisions, including NCAA, NAIA and JC/CC, as they soar with the highest team GPA of 3.802. With their second appearance at first place and fifth year ranked in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, it seems that head coach Nyla Milleson is seeking to make this customary from year to year.

"Some of the self-discipline that our young ladies have has just been the equation to our success," Milleson said. "I think being a student-athlete is very difficult, but I think with the right resources and the right support it really is a positive for students to be involved."

The Drury Lady Panther program has become a sensation on the hardwood as well posting an overall record of 130-24 with last year's outstanding record of 29-2 with only five seasons under it's belt.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division II is as follows:

NCAA Division III
Finishing a close second last year, York College's head coach, Betsy Witman, was bound and determined to elevate their team GPA to an unconquerable measure in the 2004-2005 season. What many would consider a difficult feat to accomplish shooting for first place, Witman's team did so with quite a few new freshman on the roster.

"I thought they would be tough to beat," Witman said. "We've always done really well academically and this past year we have overachieved and I'm just so proud. I think they really represent what a Division III student-athlete really is."
As the Spartans gear up for the upcoming season, they are setting high standards for the girls on the court as well as in the classroom.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division III is as follows:

NAIA
Concordia University (NE) achieves a truly exceptional sixth consecutive first-place finish atop the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. No other team - NCAA, NAIA, or JC/CC - has equaled this feat and has deemed the Bulldogs as the unofficial "untouchables". Between 2000 and 2005, Concordia University has respectively accumulated a phenomenal team GPA of 3.703.

"Our success is attributed to a combination of the type of student-athletes that we recruit as well as the foundation that has already been laid. We want kids to maximize their God-given talents whether that's being a great student or being a great basketball player, whatever arena they fall into," said Todd Voss, head coach. "It has certainly become a thing that our program takes a lot of pride in."

To top off the Bulldogs lengthy list of accomplishments, the team made it to the NAIA Basketball Championships during the 2004-2005 season, posting an overall record of 31-5 while also being crowned as GPAC Tournament Champions.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NAIA is as follows:

Junior College/Community College
Appearing for the fourth time on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, Lincoln College takes home the top ranking for the first time. Under head coach Carol Wilson's tenure, the Lynx have made their other appearances in the Top 25 in 2001, 2002, and 2004. Placing second in 2004, the Lincoln ladies knew they needed to make the extra effort to set them apart from the rest during the 2004-2005 season.

"The young ladies I have are very goal-oriented and are willing to succeed. They understand now that there is an importance in the classroom and also on the court," Wilson said.

Coach Wilson also looks to continue the tradition on the court and in the classroom following a successful 2004-2005 season with an overall record of 18-15.

The WBCA Academic Top 25* Team Honor Roll for JC/CC is as follows:

Founded in 1981, the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (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 in all of its aspects as an amateur sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.