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DOWAGIAC — For the fifth consecutive year, the Dowagiac girls golf team has earned Division 3 Academic All-State from the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association.

The Chieftains were not the only area team to receive academic all-state.

Also in Division 2, St. Joseph and in Division 3 Lakeshore, were also honored by the coaches association.

“We have a great group of girls, with parents that care,” said Dowagiac coach Bob Turner. “The older girls have always told the younger ones that it is one of our team goals. Don’t be the reason that we don’t get it. I always say, that student comes first in student-athletes. It is a nice honor for the girls.”

In order to be considered for academic all-state, a team, which consists of the players who compete in the regional tournament, must have a combined GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Players with a 4.0 GPA receive bonus points according to their grade level (i.e. sophomores receive 4.05, juniors receive 4.10 and seniors receive 4.15). Eighth grade transcripts are used for freshmen players.

Dowagiac finished with a team GPA of 3.64. The team consisted of Emma Foote, Anna Ironside, Josie Lock, Gabrielle Munson and Calley Ruff. Foot and Munson are seniors, while Ruff is a junior and Ironside and Lock are sophomores.

St. Joseph’s GPA was 3.700, while Lakeshore’s was 3.4.788.