Nine Westminster Teams Recognized by the NAIA Add Comment    Aug 06, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the Scholar team awards for the 2009-10 season on Tuesday and all nine of Westminsters NAIA teams made the list.  The nine teams making the list are the most in school history.  The nine teams on the list represent the nine teams that compete in the NAIA at Westminster. 

Mens Basketball led all Westminster teams with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.55 and carried the highest GPA of any mens basketball team in the NAIA.  The Griffins hoopsters were early recognized with six Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes which was also the tops of nay NAIA mens basketball program. 

The Westminster womens golf team compiled a GPA of 3.52 to rank second among Westminster teams.  The mens golf team had a 3.42 GPA while womens cross country had a 3.41 GPA.  Womens volleyball recorded a 3.38 GPA for the 2009-10 academic school year with mens cross country posting a 3.33 GPA. The Westminster womens soccer team finished with a 3.32 GPA while womens basketball and mens soccer posted a 3.23 and 3.13 GPA respectively. 

The Iowa Wesleyan volleyball team is the 2009-10 NAIA Scholar-Team of the Year, the NAIA announced. The Lady Tigers finished in the top spot with a 3.82 grade point average during the 2009-10 academic year. A record total of 857 teams, an increase over last years total of 837, received the award. 

Joining Iowa Wesleyan to round out the top five are Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) volleyball (3.81 GPA), Lambuth (Tenn.) womens soccer (3.78 GPA), Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) womens tennis (3.77 GPA) and tied for fifth with a 3.76 GPA is Jamestown (N.D.) womens cross country and Bethel (Kan.) womens tennis. 

Biola (Calif.) and Hastings (Neb.) had the most teams represented by a school (16). Womens basketball landed in the top spot for total number of scholar teams per sport (78) earning the honor. 

Over 14% of the schools receiving the award had a 3.5 or higher grade point average. 

For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the institution. The team grade point average must include all varsity student-athletes certified as eligible.

-Utah College Sports News staff and wire reports

Article written by

Utah College Sports Wire