Seventeen Blinn College student-athletes were named NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Award recipients and three Buccaneer teams earned Academic Team of the Year honorable mention in recognition for exemplary classroom performance during the 2016-17 academic year.
The Blinn volleyball, softball, and baseball teams each earned Academic Team of the Year honorable mention. Volleyball posted a team grade point average (GPA) of 3.10, softball earned a 3.01, and baseball earned a 3.00.
Volleyball player Danusia Sipa Borgeaud, winner of Blinn College's Dr. James H. Atkinson Cup as the Blinn student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA, and baseball player Cody Moos each earned first-team NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Award honors for posting 4.0 GPAs.
Volleyball players MeKayla Gurley and Kayla Valigura earned second-team honors with GPAs between 3.80 and 3.99.
Shelby Achille (softball), Joseph Anderson Jr. (baseball), Calli Birch (softball), Jasline Chandler (basketball), T.J. Distefano (basketball), Alyssa Hitt (softball), Allison Lanik (volleyball), Cody LeCompte (baseball), Samuel McElreath (baseball), Andrew Morgan (baseball), Caleb Morris (baseball), Emily Noah (softball), and Jade Rochelle (basketball) each earned third-team recognition with GPAs between 3.60 and 3.79."Academic success is just as important to the Buccaneer tradition as success on the field or in the gym," said Scott Schumacher, Athletic Director. "On behalf of the entire athletic department, I am proud of the way our student-athletes represent Blinn College both inside and outside the classroom."
Nation-wide, a record 6,006 student-athletes were named to the NJCAA All-Academic teams. The NJCAA has recognized the academic success of its student-athletes each year since 1983.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 36 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
With an enrollment of 19,370 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu.
