84 MAC Student-Athletes Honored by NJCAA
Mineral Area College proudly celebrated a banner academic year for its student-athletes, highlighted by a record-breaking 84 individuals earning NJCAA All-Academic honors for the 2024-2025 academic year. This achievement set a new standard for academic excellence in MAC Athletics and underscores the department's commitment to success both on the field and in the classroom.
The NJCAA recognizes student-athletes who excel academically, and this year, MAC had an unprecedented number of honorees:
- 1st Team (4.0 GPA): 16 student-athletes
- 2nd Team (3.80 – 3.99 GPA): 32 student-athletes
- 3rd Team (3.60 – 3.79 GPA): 36 student-athletes
NJCAA Academic Team of the Year Nominations
Twelve of MAC's athletic programs qualified for NJCAA Academic Team of the Year nomination by maintaining a team GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Team GPA Leaders:
- Volleyball: 3.70
- Men's Cross Country: 3.50
- Women's Basketball: 3.49
- Women's Soccer: 3.49
- Men's Indoor Track & Field: 3.32
- Men's Golf: 3.27
- Men's Outdoor Track & Field: 3.21
- Softball: 3.20
- Baseball/JV Baseball: 3.09
- Men's Soccer: 3.06
- Women's Indoor Track & Field: 3.01
- Women's Outdoor Track & Field: 3.02
Total department GPA: 3.2
Student-Athlete Highlights by Sport
Baseball (Team GPA: 3.09)
1st Team: Wesley Bratcher, Carson Erwin, Oliver Martel, Carson McCaleb, Kolten Payne
2nd Team: Gibson Halbert, Drew Hardin, Trevor Hardin, Carson McDaniel, Max Neuschwander, Garrett Polson, Brett Robards, Kaden Smith
3rd Team: Garrison Barile, Alex Jung, Joshua Kaempfe, Connor McCaleb, Rylen Renton, Matthew Vanslyke
Men's Cross Country (Team GPA: 3.5)
1st Team: Garrett Shortt
2nd Team: Dalton Brady
Women's Cross Country
2nd Team: Presley Ridings
Golf (Team GPA: 3.27)
1st Team: Payton Strattman
3rd Team: Nate Kochis
Men's Soccer (Team GPA: 3.06)
1st Team: Brandon Schaupert
2nd Team: Shay Carey, Jack Coply, Grady Wilson
3rd Team: Kobe Bewicke, Godslove Mensah, Samuel O'Neill, Elliot Whalley, Chris Williamson
Women's Soccer (Team GPA: 3.49)
1st Team: Rosalie Coughlin, Jersey Moonier
2nd Team: Elsie Barker, Ellie Brand, Cori Duncan, Skye Scott
3rd Team: Daisy Brown, Ophelia Coe, Natasha Goodwin, Nevaeh Larkins, Kaydie-Mae Morrin, Samantha Thiele
Men's Track & Field (Team GPA: 3.26)
1st Team: Garrett Shortt
2nd Team: Luke Brabham, Dalton Brady
3rd Team: Charles Bockenkamp
Women's Track & Field (Combined GPA: 3.08)
1st Team: Alexis Walker
3rd Team: Harlie Hinkle, Felicity Kester, Samantha Thiele
Softball (Team GPA: 3.2)
1st Team: Reese Grassham, Ella Mangels, Sophie Meyer, Natalie Shea
2nd Team: Hailey Cantrell, Jocelyn Grimes, Libby Mesch, Gracie Wright
3rd Team: Emily Hochstatter, Sarah Hoshaw, Rhodie Long, Leanna Mitts, Emma Mulholland, Kameryn Tucker
Volleyball (Team GPA: 3.7)
1st Team: Lara Gilardi de Souza, Kyndal Dodd, Ava Penuel
2nd Team: Gabrielle Damborowiski, Maria Eduarda de Souza, Payton Roberts, Emma Sargeant, Olivia Shaw
3rd Team: Belen Ferrufino, Morelia Lorenzo Diaz
Women's Basketball (Team GPA: 3.49)
1st Team: Ashley Buragas
2nd Team: Madison Ayers, Jaelah Kapsin, Kinley Norris
3rd Team: Marceline Clermont, Presley Holweg, Casey Teague
A Culture of Academic Success
Mineral Area College continues to build a culture where academic success is celebrated as much as athletic achievement. This year's honors mark a significant step forward and set a precedent for future Cardinals to follow.
As MAC looks ahead to the 2025-2026 season, the bar has been raised—on the fields, on the court, and especially in the classroom.