Lebanon, IL - The McKendree University Bearcats Women's Basketball team received some exciting news on Wednesday afternoon as they were revealed to have made the cut on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) 2025-26 Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll for NCAA Division II. 

McKendree achieved a team GPA of 3.72, good for 24th among NCAA Division II teams and 64th when combining all three divisions of the NCAA. It is the fourth time the program has been honored in coach Kari Kerkhoff's tenure, joining 2021-22 (special mention), 2019-20 (11th), and 2017-18 (11th). 

The WBCA recognizes teams across the nation that carry the 25 highest combined GPAs of all student-athletes on the roster 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 conducted this recognition. 

2025-2026 NCAA DIVISION II ACADEMIC TOP 25 TEAM HONOR ROLL
T-1st | Mercy | 3.85
T-1st | Florida Southern | 3.85
3rd | Embry-Riddle | 3.84
T-4th | Northwestern Oklahoma | 3.83
T-4th | East Stroudsburg | 3.83
6th | Southwest Minnesota State | 3.81
7th | Colorado-Mesa | 3.80
T-8th | Goldey-Beacom | 3.79
T-8th | Fort Hays State | 3.79
T-10th | Harding | 3.78
T-10th | Lubbock Christian | 3.78
T-12th | Northwood | 3.77
T-12th | Maryville | 3.77
T-14th | Southern New Hampshire | 3.76
T-14th | Minnesota State-Moorhead | 3.76
T-14th | Gannon | 3.76
T-17th | Northern Michigan | 3.75
T-17th | Point Loma | 3.75
19th | Upper Iowa | 3.74
T-20th | Sioux Falls | 3.73
T-20th | Northern State | 3.73
T-20th | Ouachita Baptist | 3.73
T-20th | St. Cloud State | 3.73
T-24TH | McKENDREE | 3.72
T-24th | Malone | 3.72

SPECIAL MENTION TEAMS
Central Missouri (3.71), Post (3.71), Texas Woman's (3.70), Lee (3.69), Montana State-Billings (3.68), Northwest Missouri State (3.68), Tampa (3.68), Barry (3.67), Kutztown (3.67), Cal Poly Pomona (3.67), Georgian Court (3.67), Ferris State (3.66), Eckerd (3.66), Rockhurst (3.66), Chaminade (3.65), UIS (3.65), Carson-Newman (3.64), Ashland (3.64), Virginia-Wise (3.64), Davenport (3.63), Winona State (3.63), Menlo (3.62), Truman State (3.62), Texas A&M-Kingsville (3.62), Black Hills State (3.60), Wisconsin-Parkside (3.60), West Liberty (3.59), Fairmont State (3.59), Chestnut Hill (3.59), Pace (3.58), Saginaw Valley State (3.58), D'Youville (3.57), Drury (3.57), St. Mary's (TX) (3.55), Edinboro (3.55), South Carolina-Aiken (3.55), Bentley (3.53), Wayne State (3.53), Bridgeport (3.52), Minnesota State-Mankato (3.51), Mary (3.51), Shepherd (3.51), Cal State East Bay (3.48), Oklahoma Baptist (3.46), Kentucky State (3.46), Wingate (3.42), Newman (3.41), Mount Olive (3.41), UC-Merced (3.40), Assumption (3.40), Cal State Monterey Bay (3.36), Hillsdale (3.33), Cal State Los Angeles (3.31), Union-TN (3.27), Emory & Henry (3.26), Cal State San Marcos (3.19), Valdosta State (3.19), Augusta (3.04)