2015

WEEK OF f\ --~ \ \J

ECCC student-athletes, teams receive state,national recognition for academic performance Several East Central Community Col– lege student-athletes and two sports teams have received state and national recogni– tion for academic performance during the 2014- 15 academic year on the Decatur campus. In all, 20 student-athletes were recog– nized by the National Junior College Ath– letic Association or the Mississippi Asso– ciation of Community and Junior Col– leges, or by both organizations. On the national level, the NJCAA pres– ents awards in three categories: NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence (for those achieving a perfect 4.0 grade– point average); NJCAAAward for Superi– or Academic Achievement (3.79 to 3.99 GPA); and NJCAA Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement (3.6 to 3.79 GPA). Receiving the NJCAAAward for Supe– rior Academic Achievement was Joseph Patrick (men's tennis) ofMorton. Receiving the NJCAA Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement was Kristine Jenkins (women's tennis) of For– est. Academic honors presented ~ student-

athletes on the state level include MACJC Distinguished Academic All-State (those earning a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA) and MACJC Academic All-State (3.25 to 3.79 GPA). East Central Community College stu– dent-athletes receiving MACJC Distin– guished Academic All-State was Joseph Patrick. Receiving MACJC AcademicAll-State were Eliud Alvarez (men's soccer) of For– est, In addition to the individual awards, two of the college's sports teams were both named the best in the state and the nation for academic performance for 2014-15. The East Central women's soccer pro– gram was named both the NJCAA ~d MACJC Women's SoccerAcademic Team of the Year for compiling an overall 3.53 grade-point average. It was the fourth such honor since the program began in 2005. The ECCC women's softball program also was named both the NJCAA and MACJC Women's Softball Academic Team of the Year for compiling an overall 3.63 grade-point average this past aca– demic year.

APPEARED IN:

CARTHAGINIAN------- NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL___ SPIRIT OFMORTON-------– MERIDIAN STAR-------

NESHOBA DEMOCRAT _ _ .;...__ SCOTT COUNTY TIMES - -"-1'.......__ WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL__ CLARION-LEDGER------