INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) recognized 119 men’s and women’s teams Tuesday as recipients of the 2014-15 Team Academic All-GLVC Award. The GLVC recognizes each team from member institutions that have maintained a 3.30 grade point average for the academic year. The total of 119 honorees surpasses the previous conference record of 109 set last year.
The Maryville University women’s cross country squad registered the conference’s highest team GPA during the 2014-15 academic year with a 3.79, which improved on its 3.74 that ranked third overall last year. Finishing second was the Saint Joseph’s College men’s tennis program, which registered a 3.78 GPA – the highest for any Puma squad since the conference began awarding the honor in 2009-10. The Drury University women’s swimming team ranked third this year with a 3.73.
After four schools matched a conference record with 10 teams each above the 3.30 standard last year, two schools eclipsed the mark this season. Drury notched a new league high with 12 teams, followed by Maryville with 11 squads. Lewis University, McKendree University, Rockhurst University and Saint Joseph’s each had 10 teams meet the criteria to finish tied for third overall. This is the first time in conference history that five schools have each finished the season with 10 or more teams above a 3.30.
William Jewell College placed sixth overall with nine programs, followed by Bellarmine University and Truman State University with eight teams each. The University of Southern Indiana (7), University of Indianapolis (7) and Quincy University (6) rounded out the top 10.
There were a total of 97 women’s teams and 22 men’s squads tabbed for the honor, which marks an increase of nine and one, respectively, from a year ago.
After women’s soccer spent a two-year reign with 13 honored programs, women’s cross country and volleyball take over the top spot with 13 schools each. This season was nearly a clean sweep for women’s cross country as only 14 conference schools sponsor the sport, whereas all 16 members compete in volleyball. Four women’s sports were each represented by 12 schools, including golf, soccer, softball and tennis. Similar to cross country, only 14 schools sponsor golf and tennis. Nine of the 12 GLVC women’s track and field programs met the 3.30 standard, as did eight women’s basketball squads and six of the eight women’s swimming teams.
The sport of tennis led the men’s honorees for the fifth-straight season with six of the 13 conference squads garnering the award, but was also joined this year by six men’s golf teams for a share of first. There were three baseball programs, two cross country, soccer and track and field units each, and one basketball squad representing the men on the Team Academic All-GLVC list.
Women’s golf was also the sport most commonly found atop each school’s list. Five GLVC members saw its highest team GPA come from women’s golf while three other conference institutions were paced by their volleyball teams. The remaining eight schools were led by women’s cross country (2), women’s soccer (2), softball (1), women’s swimming (1), and men’s (1) and women’s tennis (1).
The complete list of Team Academic All-GLVC Award honorees follows by institution in alphabetical order.
Bellarmine (8) – Women’s Golf (3.48), Women’s Soccer (3.46), Softball (3.44), Women’s Swimming (3.44), Volleyball (3.43), Women’s Cross Country (3.38), Women’s Tennis (3.38), Women’s Track & Field (3.37).
Drury (12) – Women’s Swimming (3.73), Women’s Cross Country (3.68), Women’s Golf (3.68), Women’s Basketball (3.66), Women’s Tennis (3.64), Women’s Soccer (3.59), Men’s Tennis (3.58), Volleyball (3.58), Women’s Track & Field (3.55), Men’s Golf (3.54), Softball (3.41), Men’s Track & Field (3.33).
Illinois Springfield (4) – Women’s Soccer (3.51), Men’s Tennis (3.46), Softball (3.32), Men’s Golf (3.30).
Indianapolis (6) – Women’s Golf (3.57), Women’s Cross Country (3.52), Volleyball (3.49), Women’s Swimming (3.39), Women’s Tennis (3.37), Women’s Soccer (3.36).
Lewis (10) – Softball (3.56), Women’s Golf (3.55), Women’s Tennis (3.47), Women’s Swimming (3.46), Women’s Cross Country (3.45), Women’s Basketball (3.42), Women’s Soccer (3.41), Men’s Golf (3.36), Volleyball (3.35), Women’s Track & Field (3.31).
Maryville (11) – Women’s Cross Country (3.79), Women’s Track & Field (3.69), Men’s Cross Country (3.64), Women’s Soccer (3.56), Women’s Swimming & Diving (3.55), Volleyball (3.53), Women’s Golf (3.52), Men’s Golf (3.41), Men’s Track & Field (3.41), Softball (3.38), Women’s Tennis (3.31).
McKendree (10) – Women’s Golf (3.59), Women’s Tennis (3.57), Women’s Soccer (3.55), Volleyball (3.53), Women’s Cross Country (3.50), Softball (3.47), Men’s Tennis (3.43), Women’s Basketball (3.43), Baseball (3.35), Women’s Track & Field (3.30).
Missouri S&T (4) – Volleyball (3.57), Women’s Cross Country (3.47), Softball (3.31), Men’s Cross Country (3.30).
Missouri-St. Louis (2) – Women’s Golf (3.63), Volleyball (3.39).
Quincy (6) – Women’s Golf (3.61), Men’s Tennis (3.49), Women’s Tennis (3.48), Softball (3.46), Women’s Soccer (3.44), Women’s Cross Country (3.34).
Rockhurst (10) – Women’s Soccer (3.68), Women’s Golf (3.66), Volleyball (3.59), Women’s Cross Country (3.57), Women’s Tennis (3.56), Men’s Tennis (3.55), Softball (3.50), Men’s Golf (3.44), Men’s Basketball (3.34), Baseball (3.31).
Saint Joseph’s (10) – Men’s Tennis (3.78), Softball (3.60), Women’s Cross Country (3.59), Women’s Track & Field (3.55), Women’s Soccer (3.54), Women’s Tennis (3.51), Women’s Golf (3.40), Baseball (3.37), Volleyball (3.33), Women’s Basketball (3.31).
Southern Indiana (7) – Volleyball (3.45), Women’s Tennis (3.42), Women’s Soccer (3.41), Women’s Basketball (3.40), Women’s Cross Country (3.40), Women’s Track & Field (3.38), Men’s Soccer (3.30).
Truman State (8) – Women’s Cross Country (3.70), Women’s Track & Field (3.48), Women’s Tennis (3.47), Women’s Swimming (3.45), Women’s Golf (3.39), Softball (3.37), Women’s Basketball (3.33), Men’s Soccer (3.31).
UW-Parkside (2) – Volleyball (3.43), Women’s Basketball (3.32).
William Jewell (9) – Women’s Tennis (3.50), Softball (3.44), Women’s Soccer (3.40), Women’s Basketball (3.38), Women’s Golf (3.37), Men’s Golf (3.36), Women’s Track & Field (3.34), Women’s Cross Country (3.32), Volleyball (3.30).