LOUISVILLE, Ky. — For the fifth consecutive year, Byron Nelson High School (Texas), under the direction of Kathy Schoettle, posted the top GPA (4.518) in the high school weighted category, while Urbana University (NCAA DII) garnered the overall college GPA with a 3.840 and East Islip (N.Y.) High School (3.918) led the high school unweighted category in the Easton / NFCA Top 10 Academic Team rankings for the 2017-18 school year. Individually, 6,280 softball players earned Easton / NFCA Scholar-Athlete honors.
The rankings and honors recognize the academic prowess of softball teams across the Association’s membership categories. NCAA Division III led the way with 1,600 student-athletes earning a 3.5 grade-point average or higher for 2017-18. NCAA Division I and Division II followed with 1,311 and 1,026 honorees. High School weighted and High School unweighted earned 743 and 589 distinctions. Two-year colleges amassed 553 recipients and NAIA totaled 456.
Grand Canyon University (3.790) and Otterbein University (3.751) led NCAA Division I & III, while Spring Arbor (3.695) posted the top NAIA mark and Iowa Western Community College set the two-year college standard with a 3.700 GPA.
2017-18 Scholar-Athletes | 2017-18 Academic Teams
NCAA Division I
1. Grand Canyon– 3.790; 2. Northern Kentucky- 3.670; 3. Charlotte- 3.649; 4. SIUE- 3.616; t5. Sam Houston State- 3.598; t5. Robert Morris- 3.598; 7. Southern Illinois- 3.596; 8. Alabama- 3.590; 9. Detroit Mercy- 3.571; 10. DePaul- 3.569.
NCAA Division II
1. Urbana- 3.840; 2. Upper Iowa- 3.717; 3. Bridgeport- 3.713; 4. California (Pa.)- 3.684; 5. Rockhurst- 3.674; 6. Illinois Springfield- 3.673; 7. Arkansas-Monticello- 3.665; 8. Southeastern Oklahoma- 3.660; 9. Grand Valley- 3.630; 10. McKendree- 3.627.
NCAA Division III
1. Otterbein- 3.751; 2. Johnson & Wales- 3.720; 3. Penn State Brandywine- 3.680; 4. MIT- 3.670; 5. Stevens Tech- 3.633; 6. Endicott- 3.615; 7. Saint Mary’s (Ind.)- 3.611; 8. Nebraska Wesleyan- 3.610; 9. Bethel (Minn.)- 3.606; t10. Suffolk- 3.596; t10. Ithaca- 3.596.
NAIA
1. Spring Arbor- 3.695; 2. Central Methodist- 3.626; 3. USCB- 3.594; 4. Siena Heights- 3.591; 5. Williams Woods- 3.555; 6. St. Ambrose- 3.549; 7. Vanguard- 3.548; 8. Hannibal-LaGrange- 3.546; 9. Baker- 3.543; 10. Bellevue (Neb.)- 3.527.
Junior College
1. Iowa Western CC- 3.700; 2. Southern Union State CC- 3.650; t3. Butler CC- 3.610; t3. College of Southern Idaho- 3.610; 5. Allen CC- 3.590; 6. East Central College- 3.570; 7. East Mississippi CC- 3.561; 8. Seminole State College of Florida- 3.516; 9. Northeast Mississippi CC 3.493; 10. Northwest Mississippi CC- 3.471.
High School (Unweighted)
1. East Islip (N.Y.)- 3.918; t2. Pollok Central (Texas)- 3.815; t2. Loogootee Community (Ind.)- 3.815; 4. Rock Creek (Kan.)- 3.812; 5. Silver Lake (Kan.)- 3.810; 6. Topeka-Seaman (Kan.)- 3.796; t7. Central High School of Clay County- 3.785; t7. La Monte (Mo.)- 3.785; 9. Oaks Christian School (Calif.)- 3.771; 10. Milford (Neb.)- 3. 755.
High School (Weighted)
1. Byron Nelson (Texas)– 4.518; 2. Flower Mound (Texas)- 4.510; 3. Holly Hill Academy (S.C.)- 4.380; 4. Eaton (Texas)- 4.370; 5. Grapevine (Texas)- 4.300; 6. James F. Byrnes (S.C.)- 4.242; 7. River Hill (Md.)- (4.230); 8. Lincoln Southwest (Neb.)- 4.209; 9. Cambridge Christian (Fla.)- 4.129; 10. Olathe North (Kan.)- 4.120.
