The Mississippi State softball team checked in at No. 13 among NCAA Division I's top academic schools in a recent national ranking.

The ranking by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association marks the second straight season the Bulldogs have achieved the highest academic ranking of all major Division I schools.

The Disney Wide World of Sports Complex All-Academic teams are based on cumulative team grade-point-averages submitted by NFCA member head coaches for the 1998-99 academic year. The list marks the top academic performers in six membership categories, including all divisions of the NCAA, NAIA, and junior colleges and high school.

Kentucky (No. 27) was the only other conference school in the top 40 of the recent ranking.

Mississippi State combined for a 3.256 team GPA last season and sent six players-Kayla Calvert, Tracy Clark, Connie Goldsmith, Jenny Hehnke, A.J. Lott, and Keri McCallum-to the NFCA Academic All-America team. It marked the second consecutive season that Hehnke, Lott and McCallum have captured such honors.

In the fall 1999 semester, 14 Bulldogs posted 3.0 GPAs or better in the classroom and the team finished the semester with a 3.25 GPA.

"This obviously shows Mississippi State our commitment to academic excellence," said Mississippi State head coach Kathy Arendsen. "This is a great accomplishment for our team to be ranked ahead of all major Division I schools. It shows the support for athletics from our academic staff. Our academic counselors have been very supportive of this team."

Mississippi State's commitment to academic success already has been established in the Southeastern Conference. In 1999, for the second straight year, the Bulldogs sent the most players to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, last season putting 11 players on the list. In the two years that softball players have been eligible for the award, 19 Bulldogs have garnered Academic All-SEC honors, the highest of any SEC member institution.