CWC athletes earn NJCAA and regional academic honors

The Central Wyoming College women’s basketball team and the Rustler volleyball team are among the top student athletes in the country.

In announcing it All Academic selections for the 2011-12 year, the National Junior College Athletic Association and Region IX said the women’s basketball team had a grade point average of 3.40, placing the Rustlers sixth in the nation. The volleyball team’s GPA is 3.47 and it ranked tenth overall.

Leading the way for the Rustler women’s basketball program was Nibley, Utah native Brynn Foster. Foster earned the NJCAA’s Superior Academic Achievement award with her 3.9 GPA. Her teammate Brynlie Nielsen of Spanish Fork, Utah earned the NJCAA’s Exemplary Academic Achievement award with a 3.73 GPA.

The Rustler volleyball program was led by Riverton athlete Keesa Rottweiler who was presented with the NJCAA’s Superior Academic Achievement award with a 3.83 GPA.  Her teammates, Jaci Egley of Mountain View with a 3.79 GPA, Nichole Meline of Pocatello, ID and Rawlins athlete Kelli Mann, who both had 3.6 GPAs, were presented the NJCAA’s Exemplary Academic Achievement award.

Women’s basketball players earning Academic All-Region IX awards this year were Foster, Nielsen, Shay Cooper, Sam Hart, Elise Keller, Randi Prosenick and Kaylee Walker.
 
Region IX academic awards to Central’s volleyball team went to Rottweiler, Egley, Mann, Meline, Abigail Ehlers, Kali Howe, Andrea Molen and Kaitlyn Tracy.  Preston Eaton on the Rustler men’s team also received the academic award from Region IX.

The NJCAA Academic Student-Athlete Awards were previously known as NJCAA Academic All-American honors.  The NJCAA has renamed its academic awards program to the following:
NJCAA Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence (4.00 on a 4.00 scale)
NJCAA Award for Superior Academic Achievement (3.80 to 3.99 on a 4.00 scale)
NJCAA Award for Exemplary Academic Achievement (3.60 to 3.79 on a 4.00 scale)

To be eligible for Academic All-Region IX, a student-athlete must have accumulated 30 semester hours with a 3.25 GPA (based on a 4.0) for all credit hours taken.