By FHSU Sports Information
ATLANTA – The Fort Hays State women’s basketball team were yet again listed in the 2017-18 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll, announced Tuesday (July 31) by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The Tigers earned the distinction for the fourth-consecutive season and the eighth time in the previous nine seasons after completing the academic year with a cumulative GPA of 3.667, ranking 13th in the nation for the second year in a row.
The Tigers were the lone MIAA program recognized in this year’s top 25 and were one of 10 programs to reach the NCAA tournament and be listed on the academic team honor roll.
The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III; NAIA; and junior/community college women’s basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined grade point average (GPA) inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season.
The 3.667 GPA is the highest achieved by a team during head coach Tony Hobson‘s tenure. Additionally, this is the eighth time in Hobson’s 10 years as head coach at Fort Hays State that the women’s basketball team earned the WBCA Academic Top 25 honor. The team ranked 14th in 2009-10, 11th in 2010-11, 4th in 2011-12, 14th in 2012-13, 23rd in 2014-15, 22nd in 2015-16, 13th in 2016-17 and 13th again this year.
The complete 2017-18 WBCA Division II Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll can be found below.
| Rank | Institution | Head Coach | GPA |
| 1 | Michigan Technological University | Kim Cameron | 3.796 |
| 2 | Purdue University Northwest | Tom Megyesi | 3.755 |
| 3 | Lubbock Christian University | Steve Gomez | 3.750 |
| 4 | University of Findlay | James Wiedie | 3.706 |
| 5 | Lenoir Rhyne University | Cameron Sealey | 3.701 |
| 6 | Ashland University | Robyn Fralick | 3.699 |
| 7 | Minnesota State University, Moorhead | Karla Nelson | 3.686 |
| 8 | Rockhurst University | Larry Park | 3.683 |
| 9 | Univ. of Colorado-Colorado Springs | Lynn Plett | 3.682 |
| 10 | Wayne State College | Chris Kielsmeier | 3.677 |
| 11 | McKendree University | Kari Kerkhoff | 3.673 |
| 12 | University of the Sciences | Jackie Hartzell | 3.672 |
| 13 | Fort Hays State University | Tony Hobson | 3.667 |
| 14 | Regis University | Molly Marrin | 3.648 |
| 15 | Seton Hill University | Mark Katarski | 3.643 |
| T16 | University of Southern Indiana | Rick Stein | 3.640 |
| T16 | Fort Lewis College | Jason Flores | 3.640 |
| 18 | Augustana University | Dave Krauth | 3.634 |
| 19 | Gannon University | James Brunelli | 3.615 |
| 20 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | Emilee Thiesse | 3.611 |
| 21 | University of Mary | Rick Neumann | 3.596 |
| 22 | Quincy University | Jenifer Garber | 3.589 |
| 23 | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University | Lisa Nuxol-Wilson | 3.584 |
| 24 | Saginaw Valley State University | Jamie Pewinski | 3.575 |
| 25 | Walsh University | Katie Bruce | 3.574 |