ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' Cowgirl basketball team ranked No. 16 in the nation for Division III with a 3.774 team GPA and was named Academic Top 25 Honor Roll by the WBCA.
Head coach Kendra Whitedhead led her squad to an ASC championship win in the tournament in 2025-26. The Cowgirls finished the year hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, winning both games and advancing to play in the Sweet 16 at NYU.
The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes college women's basketball teams across the nation in their respective divisions that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. A team must have a combined GPA of 3.0 or better and be nominated by its head coach who must be a member of the WBCA to be recognized. The 2025-26 season is the 31st 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," said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. "The 119 ranked teams we honor this year across all five collegiate membership divisions strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!"
NCAA Division III
| Rank |
Institution |
Head Coach |
GPA |
| 1 |
Neb. Wesleyan |
Sydney Golladay |
3.897 |
| 2 |
Hamline |
Joshua Hersch |
3.847 |
| 3 |
MIT |
Lucia Robinson-Griggs |
3.846 |
| 4 |
Saint Benedict |
Mike Durbin |
3.842 |
| T5 |
St. Catherine |
Donald Mulhern |
3.826 |
| T5 |
Dubuque |
Madeline Jansen |
3.826 |
| 7 |
SUNY Canton |
Chris Klassen |
3.821 |
| 8 |
Albion |
Doreen Carden |
3.815 |
| 9 |
Colorado Col. |
Katherine Auguste |
3.793 |
| 10 |
Emerson |
Bill Gould |
3.784 |
| 11 |
Guilford |
Sarah Mathews |
3.783 |
| 12 |
Messiah |
Mike Miller |
3.782 |
| 13 |
Carthage |
Megan Jones |
3.780 |
| 14 |
Shenandoah |
Melissa Smeltzer-Kraft |
3.778 |
| 15 |
Gustavus Adolphus |
Laurie Kelly |
3.777 |
| 16 |
Hardin-Simmons |
Kendra Whitehead |
3.774 |
| 17 |
Smith |
Lynn Hersey |
3.771 |
| 18 |
Thiel |
Jessica Vormelker |
3.766 |
| 19 |
Baldwin Wallace |
Cheri Harrer |
3.765 |
| 20 |
St. John Fisher |
Sarah Cartmill |
3.764 |
| 21 |
Middlebury |
KJ Krasco |
3.758 |
| 22 |
Wis.-Eau Claire |
Tonja Englund |
3.757 |
| 23 |
Wis.-Stevens Point |
Matt Hockett |
3.743 |
| T24 |
Hope |
Brian Morehouse |
3.738 |
| T24 |
Trine |
Andrew Rang |
3.738 |
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