JCJC student-athletes receive national and state academic awards

|Shawn Wansley, JCJC's Sports Information Director

ELLISVILLE, Miss.- Jones County Junior College student-athletes made their mark in the classroom in 2015-16.

The Lady Bobcat women’s soccer team was named an Honorable Mention NJCAA Academic team and 34 JCJC student-athletes received state and national recognition for their academic success.

NATIONAL

The Lady Bobcat women’s soccer team posted a 3.29 cumulative team Grade Point Average (GPA) and earned recognition as an Honorable Mention NJCAA Academic Team.

Individually, five Bobcats received the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence for having a 4.00 GPA.

Those student-athletes were T.J. Hollis (baseball), Hanah Lott (women’s basketball), Luke Sims (men’s soccer), Shelton Wallace (baseball/football) and Abby Wilson (women’s soccer).

There were 11 student-athletes honored for Superior Academic Achievement, which is having a GPA between 3.80 and 3.99.

Those Bobcats are Madison Currie (women’s tennis), Cannon Gibbs (football), Abbey Graham (women’s soccer), Josh Hester (men’s tennis), Mason Irby (baseball), Carlie Kellems (women’s basketball), Traci Monroe (women’s soccer), Patrick Ponder (football), April Rudolph (women’s tennis), Zachary Torricelli (men’s soccer) and Anthony Williams (baseball).

Eighteen Bobcats were recognized for Exemplary Academic Achievement , which is a GPA between 3.60 and 3.79.

Those student-athletes are Noah Billingsley (men’s soccer), Ashailee Brailey (women’s basketball), Erik Buckley (men’s soccer), Jay Harris (softball), Brayden Hodge (baseball), Amanda Holliday (softball), Rachel Martin (women’s soccer), Donaldo Martinez (men’s soccer), Dallas McKinnon (women’s soccer), Marcie Napier (women’s soccer), Josh Newcomb (football), Chase Pennington (men’s tennis), Zan Ratcliffe (women’s basketball), Mallori Rodrigue (women’s soccer), Claire Rounsaville (women’s tennis), Clint Sasser (baseball), Abby Taylor (women’s soccer) and Kanisha Tharpe (women’s basketball).

To view the entire list of individuals and teams who earned NJCAA academic honors, go to www.njcaa.org.

STATE

Six Bobcats received MACJC Distinguished Academic All-State recognition for having a 3.80 GPA or higher.

Those student-athletes were T.J. Hollis (baseball), Mason Irby (baseball), Josh Hester (men’s tennis), Patrick Ponder (football), Luke Sims (men’s soccer) and Traci Monroe (women’s soccer).

These student-athletes, along with cheerleader Kayla Phipps, received JCJC Presidential Scholar-Athlete Awards.

There were 22 Bobcats who were named MACJC Academic All-State for having a GPA between 3.25 and 3.79.

Those student-athletes were Will Brand (baseball), Brayden Hodge (baseball), Josh Keel (baseball), Clint Sasser (baseball), Jamal Blackwell (football), Jahmaad Harrell (football), Erik Buckley (men’s soccer), Nicholas Canner (men’s soccer), Austin Herrington (men’s soccer), Jake Holland (men’s soccer), Blythe Griffin (women’s soccer), Kelsey Hannaford (women’s soccer), Alex Kowalski (women’s soccer), Dallas McKinnon (women’s soccer), Lindy Tabor (women’s soccer), Abby Taylor (women’s soccer), Jay Harris (softball), Shelby Nelson (softball), Skyler McLain (softball), Ashley Valentine (softball), Lauren Welch (softball) and Claire Rounsaville (women’s tennis).