Women's Basketball Earns 14th WBCA Academic Honor in 15 Years

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The Ventura College women's basketball team has been honored yet again for academic excellence, earning a place on the Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Honor Roll for the 14th time in the past 15 years. The Pirates' 3.182 overall grade point average for the 2017-18 academic year placed the team 14th in the country for two-year colleges. Ventura is one of two schools from California to be honored, the other being Solano Community College who was ranked No. 17 on the list.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2017-18 season is the 23nd in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

The Pirates have been a model of consistency academically, unmatched among the two-year colleges across the country. In the past 15 years, VC is the only two-year college to be recognized 14 times, while Minnesota West Community and Technical College and Lincoln College (IL) have both achieved the award 11 times. Northwest College (WY) has made the list nine times.  Solano Community College (four times) and Cypress College (two times) are the only other California community colleges to be recognized by the WBCA for academic excellence over that span.

In all levels, four-year NAIA school Northwestern College (IA) is the only team that has been recognized more often than VC in the past 15 years.

For the 2017-18 academic year, Ventura earned a 3.254 GPA in the fall and a 3.101 GPA in the spring. Freshmen Alaina Garcia and Kylie Vint led the way in the classroom for Ventura, with sophomores Celeste Salazar, Avery Brunk and Davina Del Castillo all achieving better than a 3.5 GPA for the year, qualifying them for Academic All-State accolades.

VC earned the No. 14-ranking on this year's list after earning the No. 7-ranking a year ago, the Pirates' 10th Top-10 nod.  They were No. 14 in 2015-16 after earning a No. 7 ranking in 2014-15. Ventura was ranked No. 6 on the national list in 2012-13 and came in at No. 9 in 2011-12. VC was No. 12 nationally in 2010-11 while earning Nos. 7 and 2 in 2009-10 and 2008-09, respectively. VC placed  No. 6 in 2007-08 and was also ranked No. 7 in 2006-07, No. 16 in 2005-06, No. 8 in 2004-05, and No. 10 in 2003-04. 

"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 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!"

2018 WBCA Academic Honor Roll, Two-Year College