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Twenty-two Hill College student athletes receive Academic Honors

07.03.17

HILLSBORO, TEXAS --- Nineteen Hill College student-athletes recently received Academic Student-Athlete Awards from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) for the 2016-2017 academic year. The program honors athletes across the country for their academic success based on their grade point average. 

Hill College had three athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic First-Team honors (4.0 GPA), four receive second-team honors (3.80-3.99 GPA) and 12 earn third-team honors (3.60-3.79 GPA). Six Hill College teams had at least one recipient. Volleyball and baseball were named All-Academic teams, with team GPAs of 3.26 and 3.05, respectively. 

“We are extremely proud of our athletes at Hill College! Not only have they excelled on the on the court, in the field and in the arena, playing in three national tournaments and seven regional tournaments in the 2016-2017 school year, but they have taken their studies to heart,” said Athletic Director Paul Brown.

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Academic All-Americans are Casey Carroll of Waxahachie, Cierra Doyal of Durant, Okla., and Preston Westphal of Arlington. NIRA recognizes students for these awards who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and above, who earned at least one point in intercollegiate rodeo competition and has been a member for longer than one semester.

“Hill College is proud of our 22 student athletes who have maintained the GPA to qualify them to be selected as All-Academic honorees with the NJCAA, and the three rodeo student athletes who were selected as Academic All-Americans with the NIRA. Our athletes work hard for their education and it shows.” said Brown.

The following Hill College athletes earned NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards:

NJCAA ALL-ACADEMIC FIRST TEAM (4.00 GPA)

Baseball

Marco Navarro-Sanchez (Coppell)

Volleyball

Brianna Sitton (Jewett)

Women’s Soccer

Julia Tucker (Burleson) 

NJCAA ALL-ACADEMIC SECOND TEAM (3.80-3.99 GPA)

Baseball

Dane Kapande (Evergreen, Colo.)

Nathan Vail (Temple)

Volleyball

Joy Grigg (Helotes) 

Softball

Meagan Kujawa (Boerne) 

NJCAA ALL-ACADEMIC THIRD TEAM (3.60-3.79 GPA)

Baseball

Andrew Mooty (North Richland Hills)

Nolan Withrow (Farmersville) 

Basketball

Richard Juarez Jr. (Fort Worth) 

Volleyball

Payton Clynch (Benbrook)

Brooke Fearka (Arlington)

Alexandria Torres (Helotes) 

Men’s Soccer

Eduardo Avalos (Arlington)

Kristian Compton (San Antonio)

Tyler Day (Pearland)

Juan Garcia (Longview)

Women’s Soccer

Cheyanne Moore (Cleburne)

Softball

Kennedy Connell (Killeen)

The following Hill College rodeo team athletes earned NIRA All-Academic Awards:

NIRA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS (3.5 cumulative GPA)

Rodeo

Casey Carroll (Waxahachie) (Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping)

Cierra Doyal (Durant, Okla.) (Barrel Racing, Goat Tying, Breakaway and Team Roping)

Preston Westphal (Arlington) (Saddle Bronc Riding, Steer Wrestling)

 

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