HANCEVILLE, ALA. — Wallace State’s men’s basketball team is tops in the classroom for the second consecutive year among its counterparts in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
The Lions compiled a cumulative 3.60 GPA during the 2018-2019 academic year, finishing with the highest GPA among all men’s basketball teams in the nation. Wallace State achieved the same feat last season, accumulating a 3.48 GPA.
Men’s basketball was among four Wallace State sports recognized this week as NJCAA honorable mention teams for earning a 3.0 GPA or better as a group.
Wallace State’s volleyball team was tops in the conference with a 3.55 GPA. Wallace State volleyball, which has won 10 straight ACCC tournament championships, is coached by Randy Daniel.
Wallace State’s softball team registered a 3.50 GPA, which was also the best mark among its conference opponents. Softball, a 12-time ACCC champion and two-time NJCAA national champion, is coached by A.J. Daugherty.
Wallace State’s baseball team, coached by Randy Putman, finished the academic year with a 3.04 GPA.
Individual NJCAA academic achievements were also unveiled this week.
Wallace State had 48 student-athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic recognition, including 15 on the NJCAA All-Academic 1st-Team with a 4.0 GPA. Volleyball had five players to make the 1st-team and baseball had four.
Wallace State student-athletes with 4.0 GPAs and earning 1st-Team accolades are volleyball’s Kaitlyn Doyle, Karlee Hale, Kate Kent, Maya Jones and Lexie Riggins; baseball’s Brennan McCullough, Garrett Brown, Riley Wood and Trevor Houston; softball’s Alysia Anderson and Keeli Bobbitt, men’s basketball’s Zion Williams and Griffin Morris and women’s basketball’s Jada Golden and Anna Mathis.
NJCAA All-Academic 2nd-team members finished the academic year with a 3.99-3.80 GPA. Wallace State student-athletes in that category consisted of softball’s Callie Ryan, Chaney Phillips, Katie Burden and Sidney Edwards; volleyball’s Alex Wiggins, Jordan Hollis and Katie Edwards; Mike Johnson, Jerry Lwamba and Chris Rollins from men’s basketball; Henslee Brindlee of women’s basketball and baseball’s Ty Hill.
NJCAA All-Academic 3rd-team members finished the academic year with a GPA between 3.79-3.60. Wallace State student-athletes earning 3rd-team status are softball’s Hannah Ingram, Jordan McMeans, Katie Wood, Meagan Schwieterman, Morgan Weatherwax, Riley McWaters and Taylor Goodpastor; baseball’s Britt Bowling, Clark Kinard, Conner Burks, Drew Chilton and Houston Wright; men’s basketball’s Max Clark, Josh Scott, LaTrell Tate and Zion Fluellen; Channing Gafford, Miajah Bullock and Kele Nelson from women’s basketball; and McKenzie Boland and Courtlyn Barber from volleyball.
View the entire NJCAA All-Academic student-athlete list here: https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/u/q/0awsqdjzae8x7m/njcaa_all-academic.pdf
View the NJCAA team accomplishments here: https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/k/o/yrzuqvldcwpp83/Academic_Awards_-_2019.pdf
For more information about Wallace State athletics, visit www.athletics.wallacestate.edu or the athletics Facebook page at www.wallacestate.edu/athleticsfb.
