PORTLAND, Ore. – For the first time since 2012-13 Saint Martin’s University captured the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Academic All-Sports trophy presented by Barnes & Noble College, as the conference office announced its 2023-24 winners on Monday.
The trophy recognizes the conference’s top-performing academic teams based on grade point average during each academic year. SMU claimed the overall title and the men’s sports title, and earned a share of the women’s sports title in conjunction with Central Washington University.
It is the third time that the Saints have won the overall title, first claiming the crown in 2002-03 and repeating in 2012-13. SMU won the men’s sports title for the third time and first since 2021-22, and claimed the women’s sports title for the second time after earning the crown in 2002-03. Central Washington’s share of the women’s sports title was its first-ever.
GNAC ACADEMIC ALL-SPORTS AWARDS 2023-24
Presented By Barnes & Noble College
Overall Top Five: 1. Saint Martin’s, 136; 2. Northwest Nazarene, 125; 3. Central Washington, 118; 4. Seattle Pacific, 116; 5. Western Washington, 111.67
Men’s Top Five: 1. Saint Martin’s, 58; 2. Northwest Nazarene, 56; 3. Seattle Pacific, 54; 4. Alaska Anchorage, 48; 5. Western Washington, 43
Women’s Top Five: T1. Saint Martin’s, 78; T1. Central Washington, 78; 3. Northwest Nazarene, 69; 4. Western Washington, 68.67; 5. Montana State Billings, 62.67
MEN’S TOP THREE TEAMS BY SPORT
Baseball: 1. Montana State Billings, 3.45; 2. Central Washington, 3.41; 3. Saint Martin’s, 3.38
Basketball: 1. Seattle Pacific, 3.42; 2. Saint Martin’s, 3.39; 3. Central Washington, 3.24
Cross Country: 1. Alaska, 3.52; 2. Alaska Anchorage, 3.48; Western Oregon, 3.41
Golf: 1. Montana State Billings, 3.17; 2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.10; T3. Saint Martin’s, 3.04; T3. Simon Fraser, 3.04; T3. Western Washington, 3.04
Soccer: 1. Western Washington, 3.48; 2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.40; 3. Saint Martin’s, 3.33
Track & Field: 1. Seattle Pacific, 3.43; 2. Alaska Anchorage, 3.30; 3. Saint Martin’s 3.22
WOMEN’S TOP THREE TEAMS BY SPORT
Basketball: 1. Montana State Billings, 3.72; 2. Western Washington, 3.63; 3. Seattle Pacific, 3.61
Cross Country: 1. Saint Martin’s, 3.80; 2. Alaska, 3.78; 3. Western Oregon, 3.57
Golf: 1. Saint Martin’s, 3.77; T2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.27; T2. Western Washington, 3.27
Rowing: 1. Central Oklahoma, 3.40; T2. Western Washington, 3.31; T2. Cal Poly Humboldt, 3.31
Soccer: 1. Western Oregon, 3.60; T2. Saint Martin’s, 3.54; T2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.54
Softball: 1. Montana State Billings, 3.60; 2. Central Washington, 3.58; T3. Saint Martin’s, 3.52 ; T3. Western Oregon, 3.52
Track & Field: 1. Alaska Anchorage, 3.62; 2. Seattle Pacific, 3.57; 3. Central Washington, 3.56
Volleyball: 1. Central Washington, 3.70; 2. Seattle Pacific, 3.68; 3. Western Oregon, 3.57
The Saints finished in the top three in 9 of 13 sports that they participate in, contributing to their sweep of the three overall award categories. SMU’s women’s cross country team claimed its third team title and first since 2013-14, holding a stellar 3.80 collective GPA. The Saints’ women’s golf team also finished in first place, posting a 3.77 team GPA for its record seventh women’s golf academic team title.
Montana State Billings had the most individual sport academic titles, as the Yellowjackets claimed four crowns during the 2023-24 academic year. MSUB’s women’s basketball team was the lone program in the conference this year to win both the regular-season title and academic team title, as the Yellowjacket women posted a 3.72 team GPA. It marks MSUB’s sixth academic team title, tied with Saint Martin’s and Seattle Pacific for the most-ever in women’s basketball.
The MSUB softball team won the academic team title for the third time, posting a 3.60 GPA in 2023-24. The Yellowjackets’ baseball team claimed their fifth crown with a 3.45 GPA, and the men’s golf team won its second academic title with a 3.17 GPA.
Along with Saint Martin’s and MSUB, Seattle Pacific was the other GNAC institution to claim multiple team academic titles. SPU’s men’s track and field team added to its record total with its 13th title, posting a collective 3.43 GPA in 2023-24. The Falcons also earned a title from their men’s basketball team, which won the honor for a record 15th time with a 3.42 GPA.
The Alaska Nanook men’s cross country team kept its strong academic tradition alive, claiming the award for the fourth time in the last five years with a 3.52 GPA. Overall the Nanooks have 11 team academic titles – more than any other GNAC men’s cross country program.
Central Washington’s volleyball team parlayed a strong, second-place finish in the standings with its seventh team academic title in the form of a 3.70 GPA. No GNAC volleyball program has won more team academic titles than CWU, which last claimed the award in 2021-22.
Western Washington picked up its lone team title in men’s soccer, posting a 3.48 GPA this season. It is the Vikings’ second team academic title in men’s soccer and first since the 2018-19 academic year.
Alaska Anchorage picked up the women’s track and field team academic award, finishing the year with a collective 3.62 GPA. It is the second team title in women’s track for the Seawolves, and their first since the 2003-04 academic year.
Western Oregon picked up its first-ever team academic award in women’s soccer, finishing atop the table with a 3.60 GPA.
Central Oklahoma was also a first-time team academic award winner this year, as its women’s rowing program held a 3.40 GPA to top its sport rankings.