BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford women's basketball team was tied for 12
th in the nation in the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) Division I Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, released by the organization Tuesday.
Samford's team posted an overall grade-point average of 3.672, tying the Bulldogs with Portland State University. Samford is the highest ranked team in the Southern Conference, and the highest-rated squad in the state of Alabama.
"I am so proud of the hard work our team puts in both in the classroom and on the floor," Samford head coach Carley Kuhns said. "It is important that we win, but also that academics remain the top priority in our program. This ranking/honor shows that our student-athletes are putting in the work to do things the right way."
The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2020-21 season is the 26th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.
Samford had a strong season on the court as well. The Bulldogs won a second-straight Southern Conference regular-season title, posting a record of 14-11 overall and 11-2 in SoCon play. The team also earned a bid to the WNIT.
WBCA ACADEMIC TOP 25 DIVISION I TEAM HONOR ROLLS
| Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
| 1 |
University of Maine |
Amy Vachon |
3.900 |
| 2 |
Youngstown State University |
John Barnes |
3.874 |
| 3 |
Robert Morris University |
Charlie Buscaglia |
3.824 |
| 4 |
Marist College |
Brian Giorgis |
3.770 |
| 5 |
University of North Dakota |
Mallory Bernhard |
3.766 |
| 6 |
Eastern Illinois University |
Matt Bollant |
3.752 |
| 7 |
Northern Illinois University |
Lisa Carlsen |
3.739 |
| 8 |
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale |
Cindy Stein |
3.716 |
| 9 |
Lipscomb University |
Laura Sumski |
3.702 |
| 10 |
South Dakota State University |
Aaron Johnston |
3.699 |
| 11 |
University of Nebraska Omaha |
Carrie Banks |
3.689 |
| T12 |
Samford University |
Carley Kuhns |
3.672 |
| T12 |
Portland State University |
Chelsey Gregg |
3.672 |
| 14 |
Lehigh University |
Sue Troyan |
3.670 |
| 15 |
University of Northern Iowa |
Tanya Warren |
3.663 |
| 16 |
Kent State University |
Todd Starkey |
3.655 |
| 17 |
Arizona State University |
Charli Turner Thorne |
3.645 |
| 18 |
Western Illinois University |
JD Gravina |
3.644 |
| 19 |
Davidson College |
Gayle Fulks |
3.634 |
| 20 |
Washington State University |
Kamie Ethridge |
3.629 |
| 21 |
Iona College |
Billi Chambers |
3.622 |
| 22 |
Houston Baptist University |
Donna Finnie |
3.621 |
| 23 |
University of Minnesota |
Lindsay Whalen |
3.593 |
| T24 |
Rice University |
Tina Langley |
3.583 |
| T24 |
Seattle University |
Suzy Barcomb |
3.583 |