For the third time in the last four years, the Youngstown State women's basketball program posted one of the top 10 grade-point averages in the country.
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced its Academic Top 25 Honor Roll on Tuesday, and YSU's 3.668 GPA during the 2018-19 season was the seventh-best mark out of 351 Division I programs.
This marks the eighth time in the last nine seasons that the Penguins have appeared on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll. YSU and DePaul are the only two schools in the country that have been on the list eight times since the 2010-11 academic year.
"I'm so incredibly proud of our team for all of the successes it achieved during the past year," YSU head coach John Barnes said. "Being a Division I student-athlete isn't easy, and our players put forth tremendous effort in the classroom, in the weight room and on the court to do amazing things. To be able to win 22 games and play in the WNIT while still having the seventh-best GPA in the country speaks so much to the character of the student-athletes in our program."
Youngstown State made its first appearance in the academic top 25 in 2010-11, and it has been on the list each season since except 2013-14. The Penguins were third in 2015-16, sixth in 2011-12, 10th in 2017-18, 17th in both 2010-11 and 2012-13, 22nd in 2014-15 and 24th in 2016-17.
YSU was one of three Horizon League programs to appear in the Academic Top 25, joining eighth-ranked Green Bay and 19th-ranked IUPUI. Youngstown State is the only team from Ohio on the prestigious list.
Individually, seven of the 13 student-athletes on the team registered a 4.0 during at least one semester during the past academic year. Mary Dunn, Madison Mallory and Melinda Trimmer had perfect 4.0 marks in both semesters. In the fall, Sarah Cash and Chelsea Olson boasted a 4.0, and McKenah Peters and Emma VanZanten joined the perfect ranks in the spring.
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!"
