Nine CSM Teams Earn NAIA Scholar-Team Recognition

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has announced the 1,862 teams that have earned the distinction for Scholar-Teams for the 2017-18 academic year and all nine eligible College of Saint Mary teams have received the award.

For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar-Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0-grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the institution. The team grade point average includes all eligible varsity student-athletes on the roster at any time during the academic year.

CSM's cross country team led the way for the Flames with a 3.78 team GPA. Golf was close behind with a 3.76, while tennis finished with a 3.70. Other team GPAs for the Flames were: competitive dance (3.63), soccer (3.42), volleyball (3.32), softball (3.32), swimming (3.26) and basketball (3.11). CSM's bowling team was not eligible for the award as the NAIA does not recognize bowling as an official sport yet.

The Missouri Baptist University's women's tennis team took the lead this year with a 3.90 team GPA, as Tabor College (Kan.) women's tennis and Wayland Baptist (Tex.) women's golf followed right behind with a 3.88 collective GPA.

The women's golf team from Siena Heights University (Mich.) finished close behind the three with a 3.84 GPA, earning the fourth place spot. Rounding out the top five was the women's Division I basketball team for Southwestern Christian University (Okla.) with a 3.84.

St. Ambrose (Iowa) led the pack with 23 teams represented on the list. Cumberland's (Ky.) was next with 21 teams making the list.

Morningside (Iowa) and Concordia (Neb.) added their own 20 teams as scholars. While Hastings (Neb.), Indiana Wesleyan, Lindenwood – Belleville (Ill.), Northwestern (Iowa), and Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) all contributed 19 Scholar-Teams.

To see the complete list of 2017-18 NAIA Scholar-Teams (PDFs): Sorted by Institution | Sorted by Sport