TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (July 13, 2016) – The following student-athletes and teams from Region 8 member schools received academic honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), based on their work in the classroom during the 2015-16 academic year. 

The NJCAA recognizes the following: 

• NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence (4.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale)
• NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement (3.80-3.99 on a 4.00 scale)
• NJCAA Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement (3.60-3.79 on a 4.00 scale) 

The following student-athletes from Region 8 member schools were recognized by the NJCAA:

ASA College Miami

• Superior: Mingxiu Du, women's tennis
• Exemplary: Angel Ortiz, baseball; Megane Bianco, women's tennis

Broward College

• Pinnacle: Anastasia Goncharova, women's tennis; Giveth Rocha, women's basketball
• Superior: Melissa Taylor, volleyball
• Exemplary: Lisa Van De Water, women's basketball; Marjorie Conner, softball; Ogando Sierra, baseball; Tabitha Gonzalez, women's basketball

College of Central Florida

• Pinnacle: Iseoluwapo Jegede, men's basketball; Licie Leite, volleyball; Thais Oliveria, women's basketball
• Superior: Claudia Jones, softball; Eddy Polanco, men's basketball; Heather Bowersox, volleyball; Kaylee Smith, softball; Luisa Soares, volleyball; Madara Bajare, volleyball; Marcella Rocha, women's basketball; Morgan Matthews, softball
• Exemplary: Amanda Melosky, women's basketball; Caeley Nix, softball; Destinee Lizzmore, softball; Melinda Rule, softball; Yaralismar Diaz-Rodriguez, volleyball

Daytona State College

• Pinnacle: Alexander Hendricks, baseball; Brian Brooker, baseball; Katie Veale, women's golf; Michael Hall, baseball; Seoyon Kwon, women's golf; Tivon Fanete, baseball
• Superior: Alexandra Hollabaugh, volleyball; Alica Kandler, volleyball; Claire Becker, women's golf; Cristine Lee, women's golf; Dylan Pate, baseball; Elizabeth Jackson, women's golf; Gillian Alexander, women's golf; Holli Jones, softball; Jacob Rothwell, baseball; John Barnes, baseball; Luke Dill, baseball; Madison Rogers, volleyball; Tania Kottke, volleyball; Tyler Barron, baseball
• Exemplary: Amanda Nikhazy, softball; Garrett Vathroder, baseball; Hailey Jackson, softball; Jason Baita, baseball; Ji-Sun Kang, women's golf; Kyle Weeks, men's basketball; Landon Hutchinson, baseball; Mackenzie Steele, softball; Megan Hammett, softball; Megan Miller, volleyball; Megan Woodson, softball; Morgan Hammett, softball; Randall Hester, baseball; Reuben Ball, baseball; Stephen Gogreve, baseball

Eastern Florida State College

• Pinnacle: Emma Grimes, women's basketball; Giulianna Hull, women's tennis; Rosie Lyard, softball
• Superior: Juliana Torres, volleyball; Lena Kaelberer, volleyball; Mariana Dal Pozzo, volleyball; Taylor Whalen, women's golf
• Exemplary: Alexander Carpenter, baseball; Jacob Walsh, baseball; Mackenzie Soughers, softball; Megan Graefe, volleyball; Samantha Martin, women's tennis; Taylor Zitiello, softball

Florida SouthWestern State College

• Pinnacle: Walter Benson, baseball
• Superior: Jose Valmana, baseball; Marta Fuentes-Suarez, softball
• Exemplary: Hayden Platt, baseball; Layton Thomas, baseball; Raina Gorman, softball

Florida State College at Jacksonville

• Pinnacle: Kailey Perry, softball; Katrarina Gjurickovic, volleyball; Marni Greenstein, softball; Robert Delano, baseball; Shaina Reed, softball
• Superior: Courtney Dietz, softball; Joseph Hoelle, baseball
• Exemplary: Asante Lopez, volleyball; Bianca Igew, women's basketball; Brady Vanhook, baseball; Brittany Stewart, women's tennis; Cale Gibson, baseball; Cameron Blaquiere, baseball; Chase Diaz, baseball; Cody Boswell, baseball; Erika Ianovale, volleyball; Felix Garcia, baseball; Jessica Delawder, softball; Megan Walkowski, softball; Mill Lang, baseball; Silvia Montana, softball

Gulf Coast State College

• Superior: Bailiegh Williams, softball; Ty Purifoy, women's basketball
• Exemplary: Jazmine Lewis, softball; Tabitha Gaydos, softball

Hillsborough Community College

• Superior: Cherlie Adorno-Dejesus, volleyball; Kristen Donnelly, women's tennis; Rachell Vargas-Comee, volleyball
• Exemplary: Shannon Bell, softball

Indian River State College

• Pinnacle: Adrianna Warning, women's swimming & diving
• Superior: Amanda Blanchard, softball; Emelie Stenhammar, women's swimming & diving; Hannah Artille, volleyball; Madison Stowe, volleyball; Olivia Jacobi, women's swimming & diving; Osianna McReed, women's swimming & diving; Sarah Rider, softball; Tana McDaniel, softball
• Exemplary: Adam Mitchell, baseball; Andrew Wojcik, men's swimming & diving; Ashton Adkins, softball; Brianna Wright, women's basketball; Grace Lynch, women's swimming & diving; Jaci Atkinson, softball; Jacob Andrasco, men's swimming & diving; Leah Sims, women's swimming  & diving; Lindsey Robinson, volleyball; Nathaniel Howard, baseball

Lake-Sumter State College

• Pinnacle: Tucker Smith, baseball
• Superior: Madison Mihok, softball
• Exemplary: Aimee Jett, volleyball; Alexandra Eimansberger, volleyball; Benjamin Hoffman, baseball; Brooks Estrada, baseball; Noelle McGuire, softball

Miami Dade College

• Superior: Alejandra Mata, softball; Antanas Krimelis, men's basketball; Erin Sundook, softball; Marko Krivacevic, men's basketball; Megan Garfinkel, softball
• Exemplary: Louise Disi, softball; Pamela Jaime, volleyball

Palm Beach State College 

• Superior: Andrea Petrovic, women's basketball

Pasco-Hernando State College 

• Pinncale: Baylee Dushane, softball
• Superior: Danielle Christian, volleyball; Hannah Tucker, volleyball; Marffee Simbulan, half maraton/women's cross country; Nicholas Donnell, baseball; Rachel Gardner, softball
• Exemplary: Alexander Reynolds, baseball; Alexana Arnold, volleyball; Corey Mumaw, baseball; Emily Pelletier, softball; Grant McDaniel, baseball; Katherine Shoulta, softball; Megan Taris, volleyball; Thomas Moschner, baseball

Pensacola State College 

• Pinncale: Mi'Kala Robert, softball
• Superior: Christina Stange, volleyball; Erin Dansby, softball; Hunter Kiel, baseball; Romero Greer, baseball
• Exemplary: Courtney Heinritz, softball

Polk State College 

• Superior: Abigail Sizemore, women's soccer; Morgan Jones, women's soccer; Shinell McCalla, women's soccer
• Exemplary: Cristina Gutierrez, women's soccer; Dominique Walker, women's soccer; Kelsey Lewis, women's soccer; Nicole Boots, volleyball; Sairah Shirah, softball

Santa Fe College

• Pinncale: Farah Rajaee, volleyball
• Superior: Alex Kennell, baseball; Destiny Carroll, softball; Julianne Fuchs, volleyball; Morgan Sams, women's basketball
• Exemplary: Chad Stockdale, baseball; Cole Parks, baseball; Corey Staples, women's basketball; Elizabeth Benson, softball; Joshua Hawkins, men's basketball; Kyle Morton, baseball; Nadine Williams, volleyball; Nickeysha Gordon, softball

St. Johns River State College

• Superior: Harlan Harris, baseball; Kacee Langford, softball; Victoria English, volleyball
• Exemplary: Ashley Smith, volleyball; Courtney Chappell, volleyball; Jenica Ramos, volleyball; Jordan Phillips, softball; Marina Torres, volleyball; Nicklaus Owens, baseball; Rhys Pollock, baseball; Shannan Wood, volleyball; Shelbie Hutto, softball

State College of Florida 

• Pinncale: Kevin Buckley, baseball
• Superior: Cacey Simmons, softball; Cassandra Shukitis, softball; Christopher Moore, baseball; Darby Bernaldo, softball; Ethan Skender, baseball; Kassidy Neptune, softball; Tristen Pearson, softball; Tyler Romanik, baseball
• Exemplary: Brandi Bunker, softball; Brittany Gilliam, softball; Harrison Hebert, men's basketball; Jessica Dills, volleyball; Maria Zubkova, women's tennis; Marisa Beisner, volleyball; Vladimir Nunez, baseball

Tallahassee Community College

• Pinnacle: Elisa Cecchetti, softball
• Superior: Alexandra Cook, softball; Alyssa NeSmith, softball
• Exemplary: Casey Durham, softball; Octavio Marin, baseball; Craig Olson, baseball

Additionally, the NJCAA recognized teams who achieved academic excellence during the 2015-16 academic year. The following Region 8 teams were named NJCAA Academic Team of the Year in their respective sport: 

• Baseball: Daytona State College, 3.62 team GPA
• Women’s Golf: Daytona State College, 3.90 team GPA 
• Men's Swimming and Diving: Indian River State College, 3.16 team GPA

Other schools who received NJCAA All-Academic Team honorable mention recognition (minimum 3.00 team GPA) include: 

• Baseball: Florida State College at Jacksonville (3.27), College of Central Florida (3.23), State College of Florida (3.15), Lake-Sumter State College (3.07)
• Women's Basketball: Broward College (3.28), Gulf Coast State College (3.25), College of Central Florida (3.14), Indian River State College (3.07)
• Women's Swimming and Diving: Indian River State College (3.31)
• Men's Tennis: ASA College Miami (3.28)
• Women's Tennis: ASA College Miami (3.57), State College of Florida (3.24)
• Softball: Daytona State College (3.57), State College of Florida (3.37), Gulf Coast State College (3.27), College of Central Florida (3.20), Tallahassee Community College (3.18), Indian River State College (3.14), Miami Dade College (3.10), Pasco-Hernando State College (3.03), Lake-Sumter State College (3.00)
• Volleyball: St. Johns River State College (3.32), Indian River State College (3.26), Daytona State College (3.23), Pasco-Hernando State College (3.12), Lake-Sumter State College (3.08)