Napa Valley women’s basketball team honored nationally for academic success
NAPA - Last year's Napa Valley College women's basketball team has been honored for its work in the classroom, with the Storm being recognized nationally by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association for its grade point average.
Napa Valley ranks among the top community college teams in the country for carrying one of the highest GPAs, with the Storm earning a spot on the 2024-25 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls, as announced on July 22 by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, in a report, at wbca.org.
Napa Valley, with its 3.295 GPA, is tied for 12th nationally for community college teams with Cypress College.
The WBCA Academic Top 25, according to the organization's website, at wbca.org, "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. The 2024-25 season is the 30th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls."
Napa Valley's 2024-25 team, led by head coach Paul DeBolt, finished in second place in the Bay Valley Conference and advanced to the California Community College Athletic Association-Northern California Regional Basketball Championships, losing in the first round to host Chabot College, 76-66.
It marks the third year in a row that Napa Valley (17-12 overall, 13-3 Bay Valley Conference), the No. 21 seed, reached the postseason tournament.
DeBolt said the academic recognition is a huge honor.
"It's a players' award, but it's also a staff award for the athletic staff here at the college who are really supportive academically," said DeBolt.
Napa Valley also tied for second among teams in the state with Cypress in the two-year college division.
Folsom Lake College was the highest-placing team in the state, finishing ninth in the country with a 3.426 GPA.
NVC was also recognized for its academic success by the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association, in an announcement, at x.com/CaliJucoWbb, @CaliJucoWbb, on July 23.
Other teams from California placing in the country for academic achievement:
No. 15 Taft College (3.185 GPA), No. 16 College of the Canyons (3.176 GPA), No. 17 Sacramento City College (3.152 GPA), No. 18 Rio Hondo College (3.147 GPA).
"It sets the bar pretty high for us," said DeBolt. "It's quite an honor for everyone in the athletic department, particularly for those young women who worked hard in the classroom, did what they were supposed to do.
"Being a student-athlete is tough. It's not easy. You've got to really work hard in the classroom to get those grades."
DeBolt expressed his thanks and appreciation for the support and leadership that Jerry Dunlap, the Storm's Athletic Director and NVC's Dean of Kinesiology, Health, Dance, Administration of Justice, Social Sciences, provides for the department.
"Jerry is incredibly supportive, and just sets the tone for the athletic department," said DeBolt.
DeBolt also credited several others for all of their support: Lauren Farmer, the Athletic Department's Administrative Assistant and Eligibility Specialist; Alfredo Hernandez, Athletic Academic Counselor; Mike Ronald, Equipment Manager; Brandon Lucas, Athletic Trainer; Traci Oyama, Athletic Trainer; and Amanda Frost, Student Services Specialist.
"There's a big group involved in that. They're just great at what they do. They're so good with the students," said DeBolt.
The 2024-25 Storm team consisted of Rose Jamison, Kamilah Tiongco, Arianna Aguilar, Jazmine Fontilla, Ashley Torres, Teira Greenwood, Marticia Pollard, Helena White and Deena Sharqawi.
"They're just great students and great kids," said DeBolt. "It was well-earned.
"We recruit really top-notch students. We're looking for students who have career goals and academic goals and who have basketball goals. And if they have a basketball goal, we really want them to be able to continue to play, which all of our players have."
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association, according to wbca.org, is the "professional association for coaches of women's and girls' basketball at all levels of competition. Founded in 1981, the WBCA offers educational resources that coaches need to help make themselves better leaders, teachers and mentors to their players; provides opportunities for coaches to connect with peers in the profession; serves as the unifying voice of coaches to those organizations that control the game; and celebrates those coaches, players and other individuals who excel each year and contribute to the advancement of the sport."
The WBCA said teams must be nominated for the honor by their head coach, who must also be a WBCA member. A team must have a 3.000 or better GPA to be nominated, the organization said.
NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA teams were also honored on the 2024-25 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Rolls.
"The WBCA is pleased to recognize those women's basketball programs that have committed themselves to excellence on the court and in the classroom," WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew said in the report. "The 119 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!"
The Women's Basketball Coaches Association is based in Lilburn, Georgia.
Napa Valley also received recognition in the final 2024-25 State Women's Basketball Top 25 Rankings, as announced on March 19 by the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association.
The Storm is listed among "Best of the Rest" in a report on the California Community College Athletic Association website, at www.3c2asports.org.
Napa Valley was led in its playoff game by Aguilar, who scored 22 points, hitting six 3-pointers, Jamison with 19 points and Fontilla with 12 points.
Napa Valley went into the game with only seven players. The Storm stayed right in it, connecting on 10 3-pointers and going 9-of-13 from the free-throw line.
NVC was behind 17-16 in the first quarter. The Storm was in front at halftime, 41-39. Chabot was ahead in the third quarter, 59-55.
DeBolt called it a great effort by the Storm.
"That's just such a special group of young women. I've coached a lot of teams. This team is really special. Amazing group. Incredible group. I give them a lot of credit for just everything this year. Wish we could have pulled it off," he said.
Jamison, Aguilar and Fontilla were named All-Bay Valley Conference for Napa Valley.
Jamison was also named to the California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association 2024-25 All-State team. She was selected third-team All-State.
Jamison concludes her NVC career as one of the top players in school history, scoring 1,112 points.
(Marty James, Napa Valley College Athletics)