Ten perfectly smart 2022-23 squads from the CIF — and 24 other academic team champions

California's governing body for high school sports announces its academic team champions: The North Coast, San Diego sections prove smartest

The California Interscholastic Federation hands out a lot of hardwood annually throughout each school year. 

Nothing, members will tell you, is more impressive than the teams who tackle the books on the same level as its respective sports. 

The CIF honored 34 teams Tuesday for excellence in the classroom and field with the 2022-23 academic team champions. The following are teams with the highest cumulative grade point averages for each individual sport. 

The North Coast Section and San Diego Section each boasted 10 teams respectfully, followed by eight from the Southern Section. 

Branson, a small private school from Ross in the NCS, took home the most honors with three teams. 

10 teams with perfect 4.0 GPAs: 

• Girls basketball: Academy Our Lady of Peace, San Diego Section

• Girls basketball: Stone Ridge Christian, Sac-Joaquin Section

• Boys cross country: Mater Dei Catholic, SDS

• Girls cross country: Borrego Springs, SDS

• Girls golf: River Valley, SJS

• Boys swimming and diving: Branson, North Coast Section

• Girls tennis: Mater Dei Catholic, SDS

• Girls track and field: South Fork, NCS

• Girls wrestling: Rio Vista, SJS

• Girls wrestling: St. Bernard's, NCS

 Other CIF Academic Team Champions

• Gymnastics: Canyon Crest, SDS, 3.98

• Girls soccer: Sonoma Academy, NCS, 3.98

• Girls swimming and diving: Del Norte, SDS, 3.98

• Badminton (coed): Kearny, 3.96

• Boys golf:  Webb, Southern, 3.96

• Boys tennis: Inderkum, Sac-Joaquin, 3.96

• Beach volleyball: Branson, NCS, 3.96

• Girls water polo: Long Beach Wilson, SS, 3.96

• Girls lacrosse: Castilleja, Central Coast, 3.94

• Boys basketball, Poway, SDS, 3.93

• Boys track and field: Crystal Springs Uplands, CCS, 3.93

• Girls volleyball: Marin Academy, NCS, 3.93

• Girls volleyball: Oxford Academy, SS, 3.93

• Boys water polo: Dos Pueblos, SS, 3.93

• Baseball: Marin Academy, NCS, 3.91

• Field hockey: Rancho Bernardo, SDS, 3.89

• Boys volleyball: Branson, NCS, 3.87

• Boys soccer: Poly Pasadena, SS, 3.83

• Boys lacrosse: Palos Verdes, SS, 3.76

• Boys wrestling, Athenian, NCS, 3.75

• Traditional competitive cheer: San Clemente, SS, 3.74

• Football: Santa Fe Christian, SDS, 3.72

• Competitive sport cheer: California School for The Deaf, NCS, 3.46

Santa Fe Christian (in white) not only went 8-3 overall but also were crowned CIF State academic champion for boasting a team GPA of 3.72. Photo: Justin Fine