Lady T-Birds Rank Seventh Academically

Out of 185 women’s NJCAA Division I basketball teams, the Casper College Lady Thunderbirds Basketball team placed seventh academically for the 2016-2017 school year with an overall team grade point average of 3.55.

The grade point was calculated from the GPAs of all players on the team, making it “such a neat accomplishment,” according to Dwight Gunnare, women’s head basketball coach.

The recognition comes on the heels of a similar announcement in June where five players, Emily Robertson, Casper; Bruna Vila Artigues, Arenys de Munt, Spain; Ruth Nwokora, Lagos, Nigeria; Natalia Panufnik, Wolomin, Poland; and Rebecca Taylor, Kidderminster, England, were all recognized for their academic performance.

Gunnare has nominated only one other T-Bird team for NJCAA Academic Team of the Year honors since becoming head coach in May 2008. That team, from the 2013-2014 school year, placed ninth nationally with a 3.4 GPA.

Gunnare says that the recognition is important “because it illustrates that our student-athletes place a high value on their education and are able to successfully meet the demands of a Casper College student as well as an athlete. This recognition also reflects highly on our faculty at Casper College,” he said.