July 24, 2025

Ferris State women's basketball team places seventh nationally among WBCA Academic Top 25 squads

Ferris State women's basketball team honored for academic success — The Ferris State women's basketball team finished among the nation's 10 best in the NCAA Division II Academic Top 25 as unveiled by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. —

The Ferris State University women's basketball squad ranked seventh in the nation for classroom success among all NCAA Division II schools in the Academic Top 25 announced by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association.

Ferris State, which was guided by head coach Kurt Westendorp, tallied a cumulative 3.820 team grade point average for the 2024-25 season. The figure was the nation's seventh best and Ferris State was the lone Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school to figure among the nation's top 25.

St. Cloud State University in Minnesota had the top GPA with 3.892 figure. The top nine teams in the list were all between 3.80 and 3.89. Winona State University in Minnesota ranked second, with 3.887, with Texas Woman's University third with 3.881.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes college women's basketball teams across the nation in their respective divisions that carry the highest combined GPA's inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2024-25 season is the 30th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

"The WBCA is pleased to recognize those women's basketball programs that have committed themselves to excellence on the court and in the classroom," WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew said. "The 119 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!"

Teams having a 3.0 combined GPA and qualifying for consideration for the top 25 in their respective divisions were also listed as special mentions in addition to the top 25 rankings.

On the court, Westendorp led the Bulldogs to their third NCAA Tournament berth in the past four years in 2024-25, which also includes a historic run to the NCAA D2 National Semifinals in 2023-24.

The Bulldogs closed this past year with a 21-12 overall record and made their eighth national tournament bid in school history. Ferris State also was the GLIAC Tournament runner-up last season.