ATLANTA, Ga. – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team received special mention honors on Tuesday (July 23) as the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) released its Academic Top 25. 

The Huskies posted a team grade point average of 3.585, their seventh consecutive year with a team GPA of 3.5 or higher. 

Earlier this spring, six NIU student-athletes were named to the Academic All-MAC Team as Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran), Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) and Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) each earned their fourth Academic All-MAC honor. Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall) claimed Academic All-MAC honors for the third time while Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) picked up her second Academic All-MAC selection and Shannon Blacher (Burr Ridge, Ill./Montini Catholic) received her first. 

Koker, McCrea and Nickel, along with Alecia Doyle (Carterville, Ill./SEMO), were also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for the 2024-25 season. 

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes college women's basketball teams across the nation in their respective divisions that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. Teams having a 3.0 combined GPA and qualifying for consideration for the top 25 in their respective divisions are listed as special mentions.