Sixty-two student-athletes earn academic honors at SFCC

State Fair Community College (SFCC) student-athletes have earned more accolades, this time for their work in the classroom for the 2019/2020 academic year. Student-athletes earning a 3.25 or higher grade point average earned Academic All-Region 16 honors. Student-athletes earning a 3.0 or higher GPA earned Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference honors. All the other academic requirements mirror those for the NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards, which will be announced later in the summer.

The men's soccer team had 10 student-athletes honored for their work in the classroom. Freshman Jordan Bishop of Australia earned academic honors for both Region 16 and the MCCAC along with, freshman Francois Elize of Houston, Texas, freshman Carlos Eguez of Bolivia, freshman Patrick Kisinja of Houston, Texas, freshman Wagner Simoes of Brazil, freshman Vinicius Pie of Brazil and sophomore Sebastian Castro Zankys of Bolivia. Freshman Jacob Chapman of Chillicothe earned Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference Honors along with freshman James Nuku of New Zealand and sophomore Jayson Ross of Rolla.

The women's soccer team had 10 student-athletes honored by Region 16 and the MCCAC with 13 student-athletes honored in total. Sophomore Hailie Acton of Fulton earned honors from both Region 16 and the MCCAC along with sophomore Hannah Chapman of Warsaw, freshman Alexandra Herring of Oak Grove, sophomore Andrea Ramos of Saint Robert, sophomore Ria Kessell of Jefferson City, sophomore Sydney Rickel of Lee's Summit, freshman Skyler Sweezor of Linn Creek, sophomore Jorri Toone of Raymore, freshman Christina Vinroe of Wichita, Kansas and sophomore Taylor Winfrey of Marshall. Freshman Leah Overbay of Harrisonville, freshman Macie Schuster of Fulton and freshman Kyleigh Skoufos of Boonville earned Academic All-Conference honors.

The women's basketball team had three student-athletes honored by Region 16 and the MCCAC and they were freshman Paula Barrientos of Puerto Montt, Chile, freshman Madison Lenz of Boonville and sophomore Connor Watkins of Charleston.

The men's basketball team had seven student-athletes honored for their academic achievement. Redshirt freshman Dimitri Georgiadis of Richmond, Virginia, redshirt freshman Nate McClure of Houston, Texas, freshman Kohen Thompson of Memphis Tennessee and sophomore Malcolm Townsel of Chicago, Illinois were honored by Region 16 and the MCCAC. Freshman John Egbuta of Bronx, New York, freshman Colton Robb of Sweet Springs and freshman Michael Wright of Chicago, Illinois earned Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference honors.

The softball team had 12 student-athletes honored for their academic performance. Freshman Haley Berhorst of Holts Summit, sophomore Darby Christian of Sedalia, sophomore Alissa Collette of Springfield, freshman Brooke Conner of Sweet Springs, sophomore Jordan Fischer of New Florence, freshman Alexis Gililand of Jefferson City, sophomore Reagan Hockett of Sedalia, freshman Aleah Paxton of Lincoln, sophomore Abigail Rapp of King City, freshman Madison Thomas of Madison and freshman Taylor Williams of Rogersville all were named Academic All-Region 16 and Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference. Freshman Amaya Bell of Jefferson City earned Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference honors.

The baseball team had nine student-athletes honored for their academic performance. Redshirt freshman Tyler Abney of Sedalia, sophomore Brett Holden of St. Joseph, redshirt freshman Seth Kamykowski of Buffalo, freshman Will Knight of Sedalia, sophomore Cameron Pudenz of Lee's Summit and redshirt freshman Thomas Ruether of St. Louis were named Academic All-Region 16 and Missouri Community College Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference. Freshman Xavier Goudeau of Kansas City, freshman Alec Luyet Sedalia and freshman Jared Stephens of Neosho were named Missouri Community College Athletic Conference All-Conference.

The following SFCC Spirit Squad student-athletes earned a GPA of 3.0 or above for the academic year. Honored for their work in the classroom were sophomore Allison Eppenauer of Sedalia, freshman Keirsten Lorenz of Green Ridge, freshman Summer McBryar of Sweet Springs, freshman Bailey Mitchell of Hallsville, freshman Nicole Moore of O'Fallon, sophomore Kaylee Morgan of Wardsville, sophomore McKenna Rackers of New Bloomfield, sophomore Danielle Read of Sedalia, freshman Avery Rost of Vandalia, freshman Delaney Thornburgh of Sedalia and freshman Abigail Smith of Knob Noster.

"There is reason that student comes before athlete in the term student-athlete," said SFCC Athletic Director Darren Pannier. "Retention and graduation have always been huge for me as an athletic director and as a coach. We recruit student-athletes to come to State Fair Community College, we also need to retain them and graduate them. I put a lot of emphasis on our academic performance with the coaches because it is very important. I believe that competing as a student-athlete at the collegiate level should be an honor, but they have to do well in the classroom in order to participate. These awards are just another way to promote the success of our student-athletes."

David Rohrbach

SFCC Athletics