NEW CASTLE, DE --  The Wilmington University softball team finished the 2006-2007 academic year with a team grade-point average of 3.479 to rank seventh among all NCAA Division II softball programs, announced today by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

The Wildcats, who were awarded the University's highest team GPA award last spring, also had the highest GPA in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference and ranked second among Northeast Region institutions.  Grand Canyon University, led all Division II schools for the second straight year with a 3.633 grade point average. 

This is the first year that Wilmington earned a team GPA that ranked among the nation's top programs.  The Wildcats, coached by Erin Harvey, finished the regular season and conference tournament in third place.  The squad finished with a 31-15 overall record, a dramatic turnaround from their 9-31 record the previous year.       

"I am extremely proud of this team, not only for the dedication and effort they gave on the field, but more importantly, for the countless hours of hard work put forth towards their studies in the classroom", stated Coach Harvey.  "It is a great honor to be considered one of the Top-10 All-Academic Teams, and I am ecstatic to see our student-athletes rewarded for their efforts."

Wilmington University is a NCAA Division II institution located in New Castle, Delaware, that competes in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.  The Conference is comprised of 13 schools throughout Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut.