ATLANTA – For the first time in school history the Gallaudet University women's basketball program earned a spot on the prestigious Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Top 25 Honor Roll for the 2011-12 season as announced by the WBCA this week. Gallaudet's team grade point average (GPA) was 3.461 and ranked No. 21 in the 2011-12 WBCA Division III Academic Top 25 Honor Roll.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 annually recognizes NCAA Divisions 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 2011-12 season is the 17th in which the WBCA has produced the honor rolls.

Gallaudet becomes the first-ever North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) program to earn this award since the conference formed in 2004.

Northland (Wis.) College had the top team GPA in Division III with a 3.706 mark, which was rated second best among the five divisions honors (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Junior/Community College). Six of the Top 25 teams recognized in Division III made the NCAA tournament last season.

Gallaudet finished the 2011-12 season 8-16 overall, 6-12 in the NEAC under first-year head coach Brendan Stern. The Bison will be led into the 2012-13 season by new head coach Stephanie Stevens as Stern takes the reigns of Gallaudet's men's basketball program.