ATLANTA - The Loyola University Maryland women's basketball team's success in the classroom was recognized Tuesday on the national scale, as the Women's Basketball Coaches Association released its Academic Top-25 Team Honor Rolls.
 
The Greyhounds, who posted a combined 3.736 grade-point average by the WBCA calculation during the 2017-18 academic year, were ranked fifth out of 349 NCAA Division I teams in terms of GPA.
 
This marks the second time in the last three years that the Greyhounds have been ranked among the top-10 in the NCAA, as the squad was ninth in 2015-16, while it's also the third-straight year Loyola has been among the top-15. The Greyhounds were tied for 12th in 2016-17.
 
"We are so incredibly proud that our student-athletes' hard work in the classroom is being recognized nationally," Head Coach Joe Logan said. "This achievement is also a credit to our amazing student athlete support services and our dedicated professors. We explain from the time we begin the recruiting process that academics are a priority, and by choosing Loyola you are choosing to be part of a collaborative community that is going to challenge and support you to reach your full potential."


Loyola placed a League-best 14 Greyhounds on the Patriot League Women's Basketball Academic Honor Roll this year. The team ended the spring semester with a cumulative 3.616 grade-point average, tops among Loyola's 17 teams. That mark was buoyed by a stellar 3.797 mark during the Spring 2018 semester. 


"This is an incredible accomplishment that shows each student-athlete's commitment not only to their athletic achievements but to their academic success as well," said Andrea Hoffman, Loyola's assistant director of Student-Athlete Support Services. "This group of student-athletes works so hard in the classroom, on campus, and on the road to be leaders on this campus; and their dedication continues to pay off. The SASS office is not only proud of the student-athletes, but extremely appreciative of the support received from the professors and women's basketball coaching staff to ensure these student-athletes are able to grow their whole mind, body and spirit. They are truly a joy to work with, and we look forward to continued success both on and off the court."
  
Four Greyhounds finished the year with perfect 4.0 GPAs through both the fall and spring semesters; Alex Barazotti, Delaney Connolly, Madelene McDonald and Courtney Vannoy.
 
The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III; NAIA and junior/community college women's basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2017-18 season in the 23rd in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.