YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — For the fourth time in the last six seasons, Youngstown State's women's basketball program is celebrating having one of the top three grade-point averages in the country.
The 2024-25 team registered a combined GPA of 3.781 to rank third on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. That follows last year's achievement of leading the country, and the latest group of Penguins excelled among the nation's best despite having seven freshmen on the roster.
Youngstown State has had one of the nation's top 25 GPAs in 14 of the last 15 years, and this marks the eighth time since 2010-11 that YSU has ranked among the top 10.
"YSU women's basketball has had a long-standing tradition of academic success, and I am very proud of our student-athletes, coaches and support staff for continuing that tradition of excellence in the classroom," said Penguins Head Coach Melissa Jackson.
"For our program to be No. 3 in the country with a roster of seven freshmen is impressive. It also speaks to the character of student-athletes we recruit as well as the tremendous resources we have at YSU."
The Penguins had a combined 3.78 GPA in both semesters during the 2024-25 academic year. Each member of the roster had at least a 3.10 GPA in the fall, and five student-athletes had a 4.0. In the spring, an impressive 10 players had at least a 3.5, and eight recorded straight A's. Sarah Baker, Dacia Lewandowski and Abby Liber earned a 4.0 in both semesters.
No other program in the country can match Youngstown State's consistency of being on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll in the last 15 years. Starting with the 2010–11 season, YSU has made the list every year except 2013-14. This is the program's 11th appearance and its seventh time in the top 10 in the past 11 years.
YSU previously ranked first in 2023–24, second in 2019–20 and 2020–21, third in 2015–16, sixth in 2011–12, seventh in 2018–19, 10th in 2017–18, 12th in 2022–23, 16th in 2021–22, 17th in both 2010–11 and 2012–13, 22nd in 2014–15, and 24th in 2016–17.
Fellow Horizon League member Green Bay topped the list in 2024-25 with a 3.862 GPA, giving YSU's conference the No. 1 spot in consecutive seasons. The Horizon League also had Cleveland State at No. 17, Northern Kentucky at No. 18, Milwaukee tied for 20th and Purdue Fort Wayne at No. 24.
