NJCAA D1 All-Academic recipients include numerous athletes from each sport
Utah State Eastern shines as an example of excellence, proving that student-athletes can succeed in sports and inside the classroom. Recently, they announced their NJCAA DI All-Academic recipients and USU Eastern dominated the list with many high-achieving individuals. These outstanding student-athletes not only excelled in sports, but showed strong commitments to their education, earning recognition on the All-Academic Teams.
All-Academic 1st Team:
The All-Academic 1st Team represents some of Utah State Eastern’s finest students and not just settled for success in the classroom. These individuals have also showcased their talent on the field and court. The six student-athletes who were named to the first team include:
- Dakari Armendariz – Baseball
- Janel Blazzard – Women’s Basketball
- Carlie Jenkins – Women’s Soccer
- Hailey Meek – Women’s Basketball
- Olivia Nielson – Women’s Basketball
- Brooklyn Palmer – Women’s Basketball
All-Academic 2nd Team:
Joining the first team recipients are an additional 24-student athletes who earned a spot on the second team:
- Brinnley Anderson – Softball
- Sarah Baker – Women’s Soccer
- Mati Ball – Women’s Soccer
- Conner Bancroft – Baseball
- Gia Bruno – Softball
- Emma Chandler – Women’s Soccer
- Troy Connell – Baseball
- Kaden Davis – Baseball
- Teagan Gray – Women’s Basketball
- Tyell Gustavson – Men’s Soccer
- Dylan Hawkes – Baseball
- Paige Herbon – Softball
- Hadley Humphreys – Women’s Basketball
- Cambrie Jensen – Softball
- Sailor Jensen – Women’s Soccer
- Victoria Kalista – Women’s Soccer
- Jaxson Lesueur – Men’s Soccer
- Dyson Lighthall – Men’s Basketball
- Brinlee McRae – Women’s Basketball
- Loryn Stoddard – Women’s Soccer
- Quincy Tatom – Women’s Soccer
- Jenna Thorkelson – Women’s Volleyball
- Alexa Tueller – Women’s Volleyball
- Maci Wall – Women’s Basketball
All-Academic 3rd Team:
Completing the list of honorees are the 33 athletes who have earned a place on the third team:
- Tommy Astudillo – Men’s Soccer
- Eryn Briggs – Women’s Soccer
- Alexis Carrol – Softball
- Emma Christensen – Women’s Volleyball
- Sadie Coggins – Soccer
- Kyden Decker – Baseball
- Casidy Fried – Women’s Volleyball
- Gaby Goo – Women’s Basketball
- Sawyer Hardman – Baseball
- Mark Huber – Men’s Basketball
- Brinley Johnson – Softball
- Kevin Jones – Men’s Soccer
- Parker Joos – Baseball
- Thomas Kirkham – Men’s Soccer
- Kennedi Knudson – Volleyball
- Deavin Lopez – Baseball
- Hailey McUne – Women’s Volleyball
- William Mugisha – Men’s Soccer
- McKenlie Perry – Women’s Soccer
- Korbet Pope – Baseball
- Sheldon Romriell – Men’s Basketball
- Katy Smith – Women’s Soccer
- Ruth Sumner – Women’s Soccer
- Kacelyn Toomer – Women’s Basketball
- Abigail Wiggins – Women’s Soccer
- Tailey Worthen – Women’s Volleyball
- Kiana Wright – Women’s Basketball
“Our students at Utah State Eastern are doing an awesome job,” stated director of athletics, Jess Brinkerhoff. “They’re not only excelling in sports but they are also succeeding in their studies. Big congrats to all those who made it to the All-Academic teams and represented USU Eastern on the national level.”
Academic Team of the Year:
Eastern’s commitment to academic excellence is not limited to individual achievements. The department’s sports teams collectively performed exceptionally well in their studies, as shown by the Academic Team of the Year recipients:
- Women’s Basketball – GPA: 3.69
- Women’s Volleyball – GPA: 3.53
- Women’s Soccer – GPA: 3.51
- Men’s Soccer – GPA: 3.28
- Baseball – GPA: 3.26
- Softball – GPA: 3.15
- Men’s Basketball – GPA: 3.0
“I want to commend our coaches for the caliber of student-athletes that they are recruiting to USU Eastern,” Brinkerhoff said. “It takes a lot of effort outside of competition to make sure their players are where they need to be academically. Their studies are a priority for these coaches and it shows with these teams that received national honors.”
