Oct. 6, 2004

STARKVILLE, Miss.-The Baylor softball team ranks among the nation's elite in team grade-point average the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced. Baylor ranks 33rd in the nation based on cumulative team grade-point averages for the 2003-04 academic year and is the highest ranked squad in the Big 12 Conference.

"This just shows the team cares about how they perform off-the-field as well as how they perform on-the-field," head coach Glenn Moore said. "Every player on the team has worked extremely hard in the classroom, and these figures show their efforts have been a success."

According to the rankings, Baylor posted a team GPA of 3.201 during the 2003-04 school year and is one of only three Big 12 Conference schools ranked in the top 50. Oklahoma State (38th, 3.178 GPA) and Iowa State (36th, 3.188) were the only other conference schools to join Baylor on the list.

Last season, Baylor had six selections to the Academic All-Big 12 Conference first team, including Kim Wilmoth, who earned her second consecutive CoSIDA Academic All-American honor.

Baylor continues the fall season this weekend, hosting the Baylor Fall Tournament. Play will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 8, at Getterman Stadium. The tournament continues into Saturday, October 9, with the Bears taking the field at 9:00 a.m.