Central 21st on women’s basketball academic list

Central College

PELLA—Central College ranks 21st on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division III Team Honor Roll.

The Dutch compiled a team grade point average of 3.456 under coach Jerry Nikkel for the 2010-11 academic year. Case Western Reserve (Ohio) led Division III at 3.609. Iowa Conference rival Simpson tied for 10th at 3.519 while Coe is 18th at 3.464.

It’s the fifth time Central has received the WBCA honor and the first time since 2000, when the Dutch were second in the U.S.

Fourteen of the squad’s 15 players compiled GPAs of 3.0 or above for the year, led by AJ Baker (junior, Grinnell) who posted a 3.885 mark. Seven players were above 3.40.

Four Dutch players were earlier named to the Academic All-Iowa Conference team, based on cumulative GPAs: Baker, exercise science, 3.74; Melanie Hopkins (junior, Earlham), sociology/Spanish, 3.81; Sarah Paulson (junior, Ottumwa), exercise science, 3.70; and Jordan Waddell (senior, Guthrie Center), actuarial science/economics, 3.56.

The Dutch open the 2011-12 campaign under new coach Mike Jacobsma Nov. 15 at Bethany Lutheran (Minn.).