COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Western New Mexico University had two teams post the highest team grade point averages (GPA) in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) this season in the conference's first annual "Brechler Awards".

REVISED: men's golf was also included on the first release, as CSU-Pueblo was omitted from being considered the first time and was later added and they had a higher team GPA than WNMU.


The award is named after Paul W. Brechler, the first Commissioner of the RMAC (1976-1990), who along with his wife Wanda, were the first inductees into the RMAC Hall of Fame. Brechler is also the former athletic director at the University of Iowa and was Commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).


Grades were used from the 2012-13 school year. Only student-athletes who used a season of competition were counted. The total quality points for both semesters divided by the total number of credits for both semesters is the formula determined to calculate the team GPA. Team GPAs were submitted to the RMAC office by each school's director of compliance with a June 7, 2013, deadline.


Plaques for each team will be presented at the 2013 RMAC Hall of Fame and Awards banquet on Friday, July 12, at the Colorado Springs Marriott Hotel.


Women's tennis and men's basketball all collected top honors for the Mustangs.


Women's tennis recorded the highest team GPA of the three with a 3.69 mark behind Head Coach Guillaume Dupont. Four Lady Mustangs were named to the All-RMAC Academic teams having held a GPA of 3.30 or better. Sophomore Ganna Tiurina (Kiev, Ukraine/M.M. Gromov #227) earned both Player and Academic of the Year honors in the conference as she currently has a 3.73 GPA and won 17 singles matches at the top flight and 14 doubles matches also at the top position with teammate Ashley Newell (Las Vegas, NV/Silverado). Newell was also on the All-RMAC Academic list with a 3.83 GPA as the sophomore was named to the First-Team both as a player and academically. She was 13 singles matches at the No. 2 slot. Doris Berberic (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley High School) made the First-Team Academic list and also won the Inaugural Summit Award for the highest GPA in her sport in the conference with a 4.0. The senior was named to the Second-Team doubles list with freshman teammate Diamond Morrill (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) as they won nine matches. Dena Irvin (Farmington, NM/Farmington High School) made the Second-Team All-RMAC with a 3.60 GPA, as the junior won a pair of singles matches, while also competing in six doubles matches. The Lady Mustangs won the RMAC regular season and tournament titles moving on to the South Central Regional.


Men's basketball accumulated a 3.18 GPA behind Director of Athletics/Head Coach Mark Coleman. Four Mustangs were named to the All-RMAC Academic Teams led by Juan Suarez (Nogales, AZ/Nogales High School)'s 3.54 GPA. The senior led the team in assists with 110, second in steals with 31 and was fourth in scoring at 9.1 per game while starting all 26 games as he was named to the Second-Team. Lucio Luttrell (Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces High School) was also a Second-Team selection and was WNMU's Male RMAC Scholar-Athlete recipient with a 3.48 GPA. Luttrell was third on the team in scoring per game (9.8), third in total rebounds (106) and fourth in assists (25), while starting in all 26 games. Edward Estavillo (Wilcox, AZ/Wilcox) and Ryan Crane (Anthem, AZ/Boulder Creek High School) were named to the Honor Roll. Estavillo holds a 3.43 GPA. The junior made five three-pointers and played in 18 games. Crane posted a 3.30 GPA. The junior played in all 26 games, connecting on 21 three-pointers, good for third on the team, 35 assists and eight steals.