BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University student-athletes wrapped up a historic year in 2024-25 by earning the school's highest finish in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Academic All-Sports standings placing third overall.

 

The GNAC Academic All-Sports Trophy recognizes the conference's top-performing academic teams based on cumulative grade point average during each academic year.

 

In addition to the high academic standing, WWU also had a banner season in competition placing 43rd out of nearly 300 NCAA Division II programs in the Learfield Directors' Cup standings. The Vikings had 11 programs represented at the NCAA Championships and earned eight GNAC championship titles during the 2024-25 season. For the fourth consecutive year, Western Washington University claimed the Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Sports Championship.

 

WWU's nearly 300 student-athletes combined for a 3.43 GPA during the academic year, with all 15 programs earning a team cumulative GPA of at least 3.00. The 2024-25 academic year marked the first time all programs finished with at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA. The third-place finish is the highest for WWU since the award debuted in 2001-02 with the start of the conference, improving on the 4th-place finish in 2020-21.

 

Seven programs established a team GPA record in 2024-25 according to available data from the GNAC, with women's basketball leading the way with a 3.67 mark and women's cross country at 3.63. Eight programs placed in the top three in the GNAC in 2024-25.

 

Western's women's programs placed first in the GNAC academic standings with a score of 80, edging Seattle Pacific by one point. The men's teams placed fourth for the best finish in program history with 48 points.

 

In addition to the record-breaking GPA performance, WWU also established a school record with 141 GNAC Academic All-Conference honors and earned 46 GNAC FAR awards for student-athletes that carry a 3.85 cumulative GPA.

 

WWU Athletics has earned the NCAA's Presidents Award for Academic Excellence seven times in the last eight years, showcasing an academic success rate of 90%.

 

WWU Athletics Academic Pride Points:

• 3rd-place finish in GNAC Academic standings
• 3.43 Department GPA for 2024-25 season
• 46 FAR Award Winners
• 141 GNAC Academic All-Conference honors
• All 15 programs finished with team GPA over 3.00
• Won the NCAA President's Award for Academic Excellence (90% Academic Success Rate)

 

Here is a look at the overall and sport-by-sport winners of the 2024-25 GNAC All-Sports Award presented by Barnes & Noble College:

 

Overall Scores: 1. Northwest Nazarene, 155; 2. Western Oregon, 137; 3. Western Washington, 128; 4. Seattle Pacific, 118; 5. Saint Martin's; 6. Central Washington, 110; 7. Montana State Billings, 82; 8. Alaska Anchorage, 77; 9. Alaska, 60; 10. Simon Fraser, 35

 

Men's Scores: 1. Northwest Nazarene, 78; T2. Saint Martin's, 66 ; T2. Western Oregon, 66; 4. Western Washington, 48; 5. Central Washington, 40; 6. Seattle Pacific, 39; 7. Montana State Billings, 27; 8. Alaska, 26; 9. Alaska Anchorage, 21; 10. Simon Fraser, 15

 

Women's Scores: 1. Western Washington, 80; 2. Seattle Pacific, 79; 3. Northwest Nazarene, 77; 4. Western Oregon, 71; 5. Central Washington, 70; 6. Alaska Anchorage, 56; 7. Montana State Billings, 55; 8. Saint Martin's, 46; 9. Alaska, 34; 10. Simon Fraser, 20
 

MEN'S TOP THREE TEAMS BY SPORT

BASEBALL: 1. Western Oregon, 3.40; 2. Montana State Billings, 3.39; 3. Northwest Nazarene, 3.35

BASKETBALL: 1. Saint Martin's, 3.56; 2. Seattle Pacific, 3.53; 3. Northwest Nazarene, 3.35

CROSS COUNTRY: 1. Central Washington, 3.57; 2. Western Oregon, 3.55; 3. Alaska, 3.53

GOLF: 1. Northwest Nazarene, 3.42; 2. Saint Martin's, 3.33; 3. Western Washington, 3.17

SOCCER: 1. Northwest Nazarene, 3.54; 2. Saint Martin's, 3.44; 3. Western Washington, 3.37

TRACK & FIELD: 1. Northwest Nazarene, 3.42; 2. Western Oregon, 3.32; 3. Western Washington, 3.29
 

WOMEN'S TOP THREE TEAMS BY SPORT

BASKETBALL: 1. Montana State Billings, 3.75; 2. Western Washington, 3.67; 3. Central Washington, 3.63

CROSS COUNTRY: 1. Seattle Pacific, 3.74; 2. Alaska Anchorage, 3.66; T3. Western Oregon, 3.63; T3. Western Washington, 3.63

GOLF: 1. Saint Martin's, 3.90; 2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.58; T3. Montana State Billings, 3.41; T3. Seattle Pacific, 3.41

ROWING: 1. Cal Poly Humboldt, 3.47; 2. Western Washington, 3.38; 3. Seattle Pacific, 3.36

SOCCER: 1. Seattle Pacific, 3.72; 2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.67; 3. Central Washington, 3.64

SOFTBALL: 1. Western Oregon, 3.70; 2. Montana State Billings, 3.60; 3. Saint Martin's, 3.55

TRACK & FIELD: 1. Alaska Anchorage, 3.67; T2. Northwest Nazarene, 3.59; T2. Western Washington, 3.59

VOLLEYBALL: 1. Central Washington, 3.66; 2. Western Oregon, 3.59; 3. Western Washington, 3.55