Storm earn top-10 ranking in WBCA Academic Honor Roll

ATLANTA - The Simpson women's basketball team tied for ninth in the nation on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Division III Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll in 2010-11, as announced by the WBCA on Monday, July 11.

The Iowa Conference co-champions achieved a team grade-point average of 3.519 during the academic year, tying St. Thomas. Head coach Brian Niemuth's team turned in the top ranking in the IIAC for the fourth-straight season and sixth time in the last seven years. Prior to this season, the Storm ranked seventh in Division III four out of the past five seasons.

Three members of the team earned Academic All-Conference honors. Seniors Jeni Hegstrom (Perry, Iowa) and Mindy Hutchcroft (Steamboat Rock, Iowa) and sophomore Cassie Bardole (Rippey, Iowa) all met the criteria of a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Of the 15 members of the team, 14 had a GPA higher than 3.2 during the academic year and five were above a 3.7. Sophomore Kate Nielsen (Urbandale, Iowa) had the highest GPA at 3.897.

Case Western Reserve posted the highest team GPA in Division III at 3.609. Fellow Iowa Conference members Coe (17th, 3.464) and Central (20th, 3.456) also cracked the top-25. 

The Storm finished the 2010-11 season with a 22-7 record, winning a share of the Iowa Conference title for the fourth-straight season. Simpson advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh year in a row, making it to the second round. Simpson tips off the 2011-12 campaign at AIB in Des Moines on Nov. 15.

To view the complete list of teams on the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, click here.

Simpson in the WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll (since 2003-04)