ASHLAND – Southern Oregon University boasted 10 programs on the NAIA Scholar Teams list for the 2016-17 school year, the national office announced, marking the most yet for the department.

Teams that were considered for recognition had combined grade-point averages of 3.0 or better for the academic year.

SOU was represented by its women's soccer (3.51 GPA), volleyball (3.39), women's basketball (3.33), men's basketball (3.31), men's cross country (3.24), women's cross country (3.23), women's track and field (3.23), men's soccer (3.22), softball (3.16), and men's track and field (3.15) teams.

The Raider women's soccer team had been above a 3.4 the previous three years but this was its first time clearing 3.5. It ranked 19th of 131 women's soccer teams at its level in terms of GPA.

Along with another Scholar Team award, the Raider volleyball team was also named a recipient of a 2016-17 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award on Tuesday along with 50 other NAIA programs.

SOU's basketball teams were next on the list. The women's squad had the 41st-highest GPA in its division and the men ranked 15th.

The Raider men's soccer team, after just its second year of existence, made the list for the first time.

The NAIA Scholar Teams of the Year were Arizona Christian women's cross country, Indiana Tech women's golf and Midland (Neb.) women's volleyball, each of which checked in at 3.90.