Women’s basketball team ranks third in WBCA Academic Top 25

Behind the strength of a 3.56 grade-point average, the MIT women's basketball team placed third on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 team honor roll. The Engineers, who ranked 14th last year, were the sole representatives from the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) to make the list for the second consecutive season.

"I'm so proud of this team," said head coach Sonia Raman. "They are a very driven group both on and off the court, which makes coaching them such an honor and a fun experience. We set a lot of goals for the season in our pursuit of excellence and this was one part of that bigger picture for the program. Without sacrificing time in the gym, they still find time to excel in the classroom and pursue research opportunities that make a difference in the world."

Junior co-captain, co-MVP and NEWMAC Academic All-Conference selection Lauren Sascha Burton — a native of Seattle — added: "As a team we take pride in our performance both on and off the court and as a result we always give our best effort, whether it's in the classroom or in the gym. We know the most essential part of being a student-athlete is academics and always striving for excellence."

Case Western Reserve University paced the Division III squads with a 3.609 GPA while Centenary College followed with a 3.561. Carthage College (3.545) and Messiah College (3.538) rounded out the top five. Additional qualifiers from the New England region were Emerson College and Wesleyan University, which ranked 15th and 25th, respectively.

The award, given at the NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Junior College/Community College levels, recognizes programs that carry the highest grade-point averages for the entire season based on nominations submitted by WBCA-member head coaches.

To read more about the members of the team and their academic and summer pursuits, click here.