STARKVILLE, Miss. – Under second-year head coach Danielle Penner, the Barry University softball team was ranked in the top-10 best academic teams for 2006-07 announced by the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association).
Out of 61 academically ranked teams, the Buccaneers were tied for seventh with Wilmington College with a 3.479 team cumulative grade point average. Grand Canyon University was first with a 3.633 team cumulative GPA.
“I am very proud of the athletic and academic success of our 2006-07 softball team,” Penner said. “Achieving a team GPA of 3.479 and finishing in the top-10 in the nation is a tribute to the team’s hard work and commitment. It is also a tribute to the student-athlete philosophy embraced at Barry University.”
Six Sunshine State Conference schools were ranked in the top 55 softball teams academically. Barry led all SSC teams in seventh place. Lynn was ranked 11th with a 3.446 team GPA, while Rollins was ranked 39th (3.240 GPA). Saint Leo (3.228 GPA) finished 40th followed by Nova Southeastern (3.180 GPA) and Florida Southern (3.069 GPA) in 45th and 55th respectively.
Last season, the Buccaneers finished with a 44-19 overall record and a 15-9 mark in the SSC. Barry advanced to the NCAA South Regional tournament for the second straight year and fell to Florida Gulf Coast in the semifinals.
Rank | School | Head Coach | GPA |
1 | Grand Canyon University | Ann Pedersen | 3.633 |
2 | Emporia State University | Kristi Bredbenner | 3.631 |
3 | Lewis University | George DiMatteo | 3.570 |
4 | Grand Valley State University | Doug Woods | 3.507 |
5 | C.W. Post - Long Island University | Jamie Apicella | 3.490 |
6 | University of Arkansas, Monticello | Alvy Early | 3.480 |
7 | Barry University | Danielle Penner | 3.479 |
7 | Wilmington College | Erin Harvey | 3.479 |
9 | Valdosta State University | Thomas Macera | 3.471 |
10 | Francis Marion University | Stacey Vallee | 3.470 |
11 | Lynn University | Cherene Castillo | 3.446 |
12 | Bentley College | Michele DeGregoris | 3.432 |
13 | Caldwell College | Dean Johnson | 3.410 |
14 | Wheeling Jesuit University | Stacey Schramm | 3.400 |
15 | University of Central Missouri | Susan Anderson | 3.398 |
16 | University of Minnesota, Duluth | Jennifer Banford | 3.388 |
17 | Missouri Western State College | Jennifer Bagley | 3.383 |
18 | University of California, San Diego | Patti Gerckens | 3.357 |
19 | Regis University | Dana Lillard | 3.347 |
20 | Adelphi University | Paige Smith | 3.345 |
21 | Missouri Southern State University | Aron Potter | 3.330 |
22 | Newberry College | Joe Elston | 3.323 |
23 | West Chester University | Diane Lokey | 3.311 |
24 | Minnesota State University, Mankato | Lori Meyer | 3.306 |
25 | California University of Pennsylvania | Rick Bertagnolli | 3.304 |
26 | Dixie State College | David Dwyer | 3.301 |
27 | Limestone College | Jimmy Martin | 3.299 |
27 | Wingate University | Michelle Caddigan | 3.299 |
29 | Delta State University | David Kuhn | 3.296 |
30 | Molloy College | Susan Cassidy-Lyke | 3.288 |
31 | The University of Findlay | Ron Ammons | 3.287 |
32 | Pace University | Claudia Stabile | 3.285 |
33 | Rockhurst University | Galen Struve | 3.270 |
34 | Wayne State University | Gary Bryce | 3.259 |
35 | West Liberty State College | Herb Minch | 3.255 |
36 | University of Colorado at Colorado Springs | Scott Peterson | 3.254 |
37 | Bellarmine University | Renee Hicks | 3.242 |
38 | Augustana College | Gretta Melsted | 3.241 |
39 | Rollins College | Michelle Frew | 3.240 |
40 | Saint Leo University | Christi Wade | 3.228 |
41 | University of Central Oklahoma | Genny Stidham | 3.220 |
42 | University of Missouri, Rolla | Don Kennedy | 3.210 |
43 | Ferris State University | Keri Becker | 3.199 |
44 | Southeastern Oklahoma State University | Ron Faubion | 3.184 |
45 | Nova Southeastern University | Lesa Bonee | 3.180 |
46 | University of Nebraska, Omaha | Jeanne Scarpello | 3.177 |
47 | Mount Olive College | Jaime Kylis-Higginbotham | 3.175 |
48 | Oklahoma Panhandle State University | Nikki Cothran | 3.161 |
49 | Catawba College | Nan Whitley | 3.159 |
50 | Abilene Christian University | Chantiel Wilson | 3.156 |
51 | Henderson State University | Richie Bruister | 3.150 |
52 | University of Southern Indiana | Sue Kunkle | 3.133 |
53 | Seattle University | Dan Powers | 3.124 |
54 | Northern Kentucky University | Kathy Stewart | 3.102 |
55 | Florida Southern College | Chris Bellotto | 3.069 |
56 | Tusculum College | Fred Gillum | 3.065 |
57 | Georgian Court University | Jeffrey Franquet | 3.062 |
58 | West Texas A&M University | Kevin Blaskowski | 3.050 |
59 | University of Hawaii at Hilo | Callen Perreira | 3.038 |
60 | St. Cloud State University | Paula U’Ren | 3.006 |
61 | Mesa State College | Kristin Mort | 3.000 |