Twenty-one State Fair Community College (SFCC) student-athletes have received National Junior College Athletic Association All-Academic recognition for their work in the classroom. These student-athletes were among 9,555 to receive this recognition from the NJCAA. Student-athletes must maintain a 3.6 or higher grade point average for an entire academic year to be eligible to receive this recognition.
The awards are broken up into three categories based on a student-athletes grade point average. Students receiving NJCAA All-Academic First Team awards must maintain a 4.0 grade point average. Student-athletes earning Second Team honors have to maintain a 3.80 to 3.99 grade point average. Students earning Third Team honors maintained a GPA of 3.60 to 3.79.
The women's soccer team was represented by freshman Skyler Sweezor of Linn Creek on the First Team. Sophomores Ria Kessell of Jefferson City and Andrea Ramos of Saint Robert earned Third Team honors.
Freshmen Jordan Bishop of Australia and Wagner Simoes of Brazil earned First Team recognition for the men's soccer team. Freshman Francois Elize of Houston, Texas and freshman Carlos Eguez of Bolivia earned Third Team recognition.
Sophomore Connor Watkins of Charleston represented the women's basketball team earning Third Team recognition.
The men's basketball team had three representatives. Freshman Kohen Thompson of Memphis, Tennessee and sophomore Malcolm Townsel of Chicago, Illinois earned Second Team. Redshirt freshman Nate McClure of Houston, Texas made the Third Team.
The SFCC softball team had the most honorees with seven including three First Team members, sophomore Reagan Hockett of Sedalia, freshmen Brooke Conner of Sweet Springs and Aleah Paxton of Lincoln. Sophomore Alissa Collette of Springfield was on the Second Team. A trio of Lady Roadrunners made the third team, sophomore Darby Christian of Sedalia, freshman Madison Thomas of Madison and freshman Taylor Williams of Rogersville.
Sophomore Brett Holden of St. Joseph and Sophmore Kole Ficken of Boonville represented the baseball team on the First Team. Redshirt freshman Thomas Ruether of St. Louis earned Third Team honors.
"These awards speak very highly of the type of student-athletes that our coaches are recruiting," said Athletic Director Darren Pannier. "Our coaches put a lot of emphasis on the academic performance of our student-athletes. Our retention and graduation rates are higher than those of the general student population. Our student-athletes deserve a lot of credit for the amount of time they put into their work in the classroom as well as on the fields and courts. Now the challenge for everyone involved in our athletic department is to continue to raise the bar and have more All-Academic Student-Athletes next year."
David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics