MCC student-athletes, teams selected for All-Academic teams

Forty McCook Community College student athletes have been recognized by the National Junior College Athletic Association for their efforts in the classroom. They were selected for one of three 2024-25 NJCAA All-Academic teams. Also, 47 MCC student athletes were named to the 2024-2025Academic All-Region IX men’s and women’s teams.

“It is always nice to see so many of our athletes come through on the academic award side of things,” said MCC Athletic Director Jon Olsen. “Everyone prides themselves on wins and losses and those always tend to get a lot of attention, but the academic side of it is truly the best resource a student athlete can walk away with.”

Fourteen MCC student athletes were named to the all-academic first team with 4.0 GPAs, 13 more were named to the second team and 13 received third-team status.

“These student athletes are setting themselves up for their future by excelling in the classroom,” said Olsen.

In addition to individual honors, four of MCC’s six athletic teams had team grade-point averages higher than 3.0 earning the NJCAA designations as Academic Teams of the Year honors.

The MCC women’s basketball team led the way with a composite GPA of 3.50. Softball had a 3.46 GPA. The Lady Indian Volleyball team had a 3.26 team GPA and baseball had a 3.12 GPA.

“I would like to thank the coaches first and foremost for setting the standard high for our student athlete academic success,” said Olsen, “But obviously none of the success would be achievable without all of the rest of the people who work at McCook from the faculty, to the student success center, administration, and everyone pulling in the same direction to see our students succeed.”

In addition to the NJCAA academic designations 47 MCC student-athletes were named to the 2024-2025Academic All-Region IX men’s and women’s teams. For this designation student athletes must have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours and earn GPA’s greater than 3.25.

Those named to a 2024-25 NJCAA All-Academic Team for achieving a GPA of 3.6 or higher are:

NJCAA All-Academic First Team: 4.0 GPA

• Caylin Barnett, sophomore, volleyball
• Connor Charvat, freshman, baseball
• Elvis Conte, freshman, baseball
• Kyler Cox, sophomore, baseball
• Cassidy Fenske, freshman, softball
• Carolina Garcia Perdomo, freshman, women’s basketball
• Natalie Harmata, sophomore, women’s basketball
• Jacelyn Jorgensen, sophomore, women’s basketball
• Marta Moya Perez, sophomore, women’s basketball
• Emerie Rios, sophomore, volleyball
• Charlee Russick, freshman, volleyball
• Elijah Schaeffer, sophomore, baseball
• Rowan Tribelhorn, sophomore, volleyball
• Landen Zehr, freshman, baseball.

NJCAA All-Academic Second Team: 3.80-3.99 GPA

• Angela Banzet, sophomore, softball
• Vladimir Brkovic, freshman, men’s basketball
• Andrew Brown, sophomore, men’s golf
• Marial Diper, sophomore, men’s basketball
• Haley Emmerson, freshman, softball
• Irene Fernandez Pavesio, sophomore, women’s basketball
• Johanna Gerlach, freshman, women’s basketball
• Nathan Hutchison, sophomore, baseball
• Joshua Joseph, freshman, baseball
• Peyton Kinsley, freshman, softball
• Olivia Pollon, freshman, softball
• Miriam Wahlqvist, freshman, women’s basketball
• Corey Wouters, sophomore, baseball.

NJCAA All-Academic Third Team: 3.60-3.79 GPA

• Charles Bacon, freshman, baseball
• Kashlin Beck, freshman, softball
• Romina Martinez Castro, sophomore, volleyball
• Audrey Holm, freshman, volleyball
• Sadie Kahl, sophomore, softball
• Kaden Noble, freshman, baseball
• Ayana Goodwin, sophomore, softball
• Audrey Reeves, freshman, softball
• Mason Regan, freshman, baseball
• Anna Elliott, sophomore, softball
• Chase Williams, freshman, baseball
• Maddox Shaver, sophomore, baseball
• Kaylee Smith, sophomore, softball.

 To view a full list of all student-athlete award winners, visit: NJCAA All-Academic Awards.

2024-2025 ACADEMIC ALL-REGION IX MEN’S TEAM:

• Baseball: Benjamin Heathcock, Brogan Barr, Kyler Cox, Charles Bacon, Chase Williams, Connor Charvat, Corey Wouters, Elijah Schaeffer, Elvis Conte, Joshua Joseph, Kaden Noble, Kaden Frizzell, Landen Zehr, Leif Friedrich, Mason Regan, Maddox Shaver, Nathan Hutchison, Tyler Reyburn.
• Men’s Basketball: Vladimir Brkovic, Marial Diper
• Men’s Golf: Andrew Brown.

2024-2025 ACADEMIC ALL-REGION IX WOMEN’S TEAM:

• Women’s Basketball: Irene Fernandez Pavesio, Jacelyn Jorgensen, Johanna Gerlach, Laia Izquierdo Altimira, Marta Moya Perez, Miriam Wahlqvist, Natalie Harmata, Carolina Garcia Perdomo.
• Softball: Angela Banzet, Anna Elliott, Audrey Reeves, Ayana Goodwin, Cassidy Fenske, Haley Emmerson, Kashlin Beck, Kaylee Smith, Kendree Kern, Olivia Moorhead, Olivia Pollon, Payton Kinsley, Peytann Weiland, Sadie Kahl.
• Volleyball: Megan Walker, Charlee Russick, Romina Martinez Castro, Audrey Holm.