Twenty-three IVCC athletes and three teams were recognized by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) for their dedication in the classroom. The athletes were among more than 10,000 across the country earning a place on NJCAA’s 2022-23 Academic All-American Honors list for maintaining an overall GPA of 3.60 or higher. “For six of them, maintaining a 4.0 GPA catapulted them to first-team honors, a record high for the college in the last five years” said Athletic Director Cory Tomasson. Individual eligibility is determined by GPA: First Team, 4.0, Second Team, 3.80 to 3.99, and Third Team, 3.60 to 3.79.
IVCC’s softball, women’s tennis and volleyball teams were among more than 1,000 teams to earn a place on the NJCAA All- Academic Team by maintaining a cumulative team GPA over 3.0. “Playing intercollegiate athletics is a huge time commitment, and many of the athletes compete in multiple sports, have jobs, and belong to other college and community organizations,” Tomasson said. “The degree of involvement and motivation of many of these athletes in truly amazing and they contribute so much to the college.”
He added, “IVCC prides itself on the academic performance of its student athletes and we have many strategies to encourage, monitor and assist in their academic success. One of the most important is the attention and assistance from their instructors. Instructors provide high-quality instruction, personal attention and academic guidance to all students, but the support they provide student athletes is crucial to achieving such a high level of eligibility and transfer standards.”
First Team Academic All-Americans were: Colin Hart, soccer; Claire Morrow, softball; Taylor Wetsel, volleyball/softball; Isabella Lambert, soccer: Emma Stumpf, tennis and Olivia Woods, tennis.
Second Team Academic All-Americans were: Elizabeth Browder, basketball/softball; Wes Ruppert, basketball; Holly Shriber, volleyball/softball; Lasavior Summers, basketball; Maddy Klicker, softball; Kendall Schmidt, soccer/baseball; Emily Strehl, tennis, and Drake Weber, baseball.
Third Team Academic All-Americans were: Marissa Boehm, softball; Adam Currie, baseball; Madison McGunnigal, tennis; Brayden Roe, baseball; Brianna Strehl, tennis; Logan Brandner, tennis; Lyan Gonzalez, soccer; Justus Mason, baseball; and Leah Smudzinski, basketball.
Nationally, 2,702 student athletes received NJCAA All-Academic first-team honors, 3,347 were named to the second team and 4,177 to the third team. IVCC belongs to NJCAA’s Region IV, which comprises 31 colleges in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin.
IVCC athletes also received conference honors. A total of 47 of them were named to the Arrowhead Conference Academic Excellence honors list for maintaining a 3.0 GPA or higher. The Arrowhead Conference comprises six community colleges in Northern Illinois.
Receiving Arrowhead Conference Academic Excellence honors were: Abraham Pantoja, basketball; Adam Currie, baseball; Alejandra Mesa, baseball; Alyx Carls, basketball; Brayden Roe, baseball; Brea Konwinski, volleyball; Brianna Strehl, tennis; Claire Morrow, softball; Colin Hart, soccer; Connor Noramczyk, golf; Dakota Deverteuil, basketball; Drake Weber, baseball; Elizabeth Browder, basketball/softball; Ella Sibert, softball/volleyball; Emily Strehl, tennis; Emma Stumpf, tennis; Hailey Rakers, softball; Holly Shriber, softball/volleyball; Isabella Lambert, soccer; Jalen Brown-Kaderka, basketball; Jenisis Greening, basketball; Justus Mason, baseball; Kelsey Berchtold, basketball; Kendal Schmidt, soccer/baseball; Lauren Phillips, softball; Leah Smudzinski, basketball; Lesavior Summer, basketball; Libby Boyles, softball/volleyball; Lilliana Orlandi, soccer; Logan Brandner, tennis; Lyan Gonzalez, soccer; Maddy Klicker, softball; Madison McGunnigal, tennis; Makenna Chiaventone, softball; Olivia Woods, tennis; Payton Giordano, volleyball; Sean Whitfield, golf; Sophia Harris, basketball/volleyball; Taylor Staton, basketball/softball; Taylor Wetsel, softball/volleyball; Thomas Swartz, baseball; Ty Perin, baseball; Tyler Marconi, soccer; Tyrese Baijnath, soccer; Wesley Ruppert, basketball, and Zoe Finley, softball.
