Gardner-Webb Baseball Earns National Academic Excellence Award for 10th Consecutive Year

GWU One of Three Big South Programs Honored by American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.—For the 10th consecutive year, the Gardner-Webb baseball team has earned the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Team Academic Excellence Award.

The Gardner-Webb baseball team earned a 3.63 cumulative GPA during the 2024-25 academic year. The Runnin’ Bulldogs have earned the ABCA honor in every season under Head Coach Jim Chester.

Teams from every level of college and high school baseball were honored with this year’s award, which highlights programs coached by ABCA members that posted a GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for the entire 2024-25 academic year. More than 440 college programs were honored this season.

Gardner-Webb was one of three Big South programs to earn the award.

The ABCA, headquartered in nearby Greensboro, N.C., has a long tradition of recognizing the achievements of baseball coaches and student-athletes. The ABCA/Rawlings All-America Teams are the nation’s oldest, founded in 1949. The ABCA’s awards program also includes the ABCA/ATEC Regional and National Coaches of the Year and several other major awards—including the ABCA Hall of Fame and Dave Keilitz Ethics in Coaching Award.

For more information on Gardner-Webb baseball, including information on baseball camps at Gardner-Webb this summer, fans can head over to gwusports.com. Also follow the team on X at @GWUBaseball or on Instagram at @gwubaseball.

Gardner-Webb University is North Carolina’s recognized leader in private, Christian higher education. A Carnegie-Classified Doctoral/Professional University, GWU is home to nine colleges and schools, more than 80 undergraduate and graduate majors, and a world-class faculty. Located on a beautiful 225-acre campus in Boiling Springs, N.C., Gardner-Webb prepares graduates to impact their chosen professions, equips them with the skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge, and inspires them to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of others. Ignite your future at Gardner-Webb.edu.