Nearly 40 athletes from Illinois Valley Community College have been honored by the National Junior College Athletic Association for academic excellence. Thirty-eight Eagles secured places on the NJCAA All-Academic Teams by maintaining grade point averages above 3.60. This achievement highlights the dedication of IVCC’s student-athletes not just on the field but in the classroom as well. With about a third of the college’s athletes achieving this honor, IVCC continues to emphasize the importance of balancing sports and academics. The recognition underscores the strong academic support and commitment fostered by the college’s athletic program.
“IVCC Athletics takes great pride in the academic performance of our student-athletes. Participating in college athletics takes a great deal of time, organization, and commitment, and these individuals and teams have truly excelled,” said Athletic Director Cory Tomasson.
Their hard work represents about a third of the college’s athletes, a significant jump from last year. This recognition also places IVCC in contention for team of the year honors. Students earning a perfect 4.0 GPA make the First Team, with others reaching Second or Third Teams based on their averages. Nationwide, 14,000 student-athletes received these academic honors, highlighting the strong commitment to excellence both on the field and in the classroom.
The IVCC athletes earning recognition are as follows:
NJCAA All-Academic First Team—Ava Lambert, softball; Charlee Bourell, tennis/basketball; Danica Scoma, soccer; Emma Augustine, softball; Jasmine Garman, basketball; Kevin Rynke, cross country; Mina James, tennis; Noah Steiner, baseball; Nolan Hunter, baseball; and Tyson Phillips, tennis.
All-Academic Second Team – Alexandra Mahan, tennis/basketball; Conner Price, baseball; Coral Garcia, soccer; Marissa Vickers, tennis/basketball; Meghann Ostler, cross country; Michael Ellis, tennis; Nolan VanDuzer, baseball; Reese Cole, basketball; Sarah Johnson, basketball/softball; Sebastian Cabrera, tennis; Shae Simons, softball; and Thomas Staton, basketball.
All-Academic Third Team – Austin Davy, baseball; Ayipey Salinas, basketball; Carter Ewing, baseball; Cassie Zimmerman, softball; David Garcia, soccer; Emma Walker, tennis; Esmeralda Avila, basketball; Kailey Goetsch, cross country; Kylee Moore, softball; Litzy Lopez, soccer; Makenzie Eichelkraut, tennis; Max Cook, baseball; Michael Peters, tennis; Morgan Clements, soccer; Rafael Romero, soccer; and Roko Kegalj, basketball.
Academic Team of the Year nominees included women’s basketball, cross-country, tennis, soccer, volleyball, and softball, and men’s tennis.
