Courtesy SDSU Sports Info gojacks.com

For the fourth time in six years, the South Dakota State University women’s basketball team leads Division I for team grade-point average.

The Jackrabbits wrapped up the 2010-11 academic year with a cumulative team GPA of 3.666, edging Bucknell (Pa.) at 3.632.

“This is a really exciting accomplishment for the team,” Jackrabbit head coach Aaron Johnston said. “This group has talked about getting back to that top spot over the past couple years and it is good to see this group of new players help us reach that goal. I’m proud of all the sacrifice and effort the players have put forward to accomplish this goal.”

Since moving to Division I at the start of the 2004-05 season, SDSU has finished no lower than third place in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll. The Jackrabbits claimed the top spot in Division I – and all divisions of women’s college basketball – three consecutive seasons from 2005-06 through 2007-08 and finished second among D-I programs during the 2009-10 campaign with a 3.622 team GPA.

“We’re really fortunate to have great academic support and resources from both our department and our university,” Johnston said. “Clearly, our team’s performance over the last few years is a reflection of that.”

In the all-divisions race, SDSU finished second behind Division II leader Fort Lewis (Colo.), which compiled a 3.715 team GPA.

Not only have the Jackrabbits been successful in the classroom, they have gotten the job done on the court. SDSU was one of seven programs to appear in the WBCA Top 25 Team Honor Roll and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

2011 WBCA ACADEMIC TOP 25 HONOR ROLL – DIVISION I

1. South Dakota State  3.666

2. Bucknell (Pa.)  3.632

3. DePaul (Ill.)  3.582

4. Creighton (Neb.)  3.527

5. Utah Valley  3.524

6. Indiana State  3.518

7. Hartford (Conn.)  3.456

8. New Mexico  3.454

9. Dayton (Ohio)  3.445

10. Canisius (N.Y.)  3.441

11. Bowling Green (Ohio)  3.433

12. Montana State  3.419

13. Montana  3.411

14. Akron (Ohio)  3.405

15. Wisconsin-Milwaukee  3.402

16. Oakland  3.399

17. Youngstown State (Ohio)  3.395

18. South Dakota  3.390

19. Wisconsin-Green Bay  3.378

20. Maryland-Baltimore County  3.374

21. Lipscomb (Tenn.)  3.373

T22. North Dakota  3.358

T22. Northern Colorado  3.358

24. Evansville (Ind.)  3.340

25. Denver (Colo.)  3.335

2011 WBCA ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL – ALL DIVISIONS (Top 10)

1. Fort Lewis (Colo.) [II]  3.715

2. South Dakota State [I]  3.666

3. University of Great Falls (Mont.) [NAIA]  3.652

4. Chadron State (Neb.) [II]  3.644

5. Bucknell (Pa.) [I]  3.632

T6. Case Western Reserve (Ohio) [III]  3.609

T6. Grand View (Iowa) [NAIA]  3.609

8. Davenport (Mich.) [NAIA]  3.603

9. Drury (Mo.) [II]  3.590

10. Shorter (Ga.) [NAIA]  3.584

SDSU HISTORY IN THE WBCA ACADEMIC TOP 25 HONOR ROLL (Division I Era)

2004-05: Second, 3.567 GPA

2005-06: *First, 3.730 GPA

2006-07: *First, 3.693 GPA

2007-08: *First, 3.669 GPA

2008-09: Third, 3.571 GPA

2009-10: Second, 3.622 GPA

2010-11: First, 3.666 GPA

* Led all divisions in team grade-point average

Note: SDSU also received recognition on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll two times while competing in NCAA Division II