Haverhill, MA (July 2, 2019) – Eight student-athletes at Northern Essex Community College have been named to the All-Academic teams for the 2018-19 academic year as announced today by the NJCAA. The eight selections match the record for most honorees in a single year at the college which was established a year ago. With this year's selections, the college now has a total of 33 all-time All-Academic selections
In order to be eligible for the award the student-athlete must have obtained a grade point average for the year of 3.60 or higher. Based on the overall grade point average student-athletes are named either First, Second or Third Team All-Academic. Three of the eight honorees were earned 2nd team Academic All-America honors, while the five others were selected to the 3rd team.
Representing the Knights on the second team are volleyball's Christine Ortega (Haverhill, MA), Kyle Scott (Dracut, MA) of the men's basketball team and Mike Stellato (Lynnfield, MA) from baseball. Third team honors went to Olivia Mullins (Plaistow, NH) and Katelyn Richardson (Wilmington, MA) both of the women's track and cross country teams. Rachel Amiss (Salem, NH) and Amanda Forgetta (Malabar, FL) of the volleyball team were recognized on the third team as well along with baseball's Andrew Caulfield (Malden, MA). Richardson, Forgetta, Amiss and Caulfield are all second time honorees and become the third through sixth individuals in program history to earn the award twice.
The three selections from volleyball match the most selections from any one team in a given year. Ortega boasted a 3.96 GPA for the year appearing in 10 matches at outside hitter. Amiss recorded a 3.77 GPA while appearing in all 18 matches. She finished the year tops in the region with a .356 hitting percentage that also ranked 8th nationally. She was named the colleges Female Athlete of the Year at the annual awards banquet in April. Forgetta posted a 3.67 GPA, also appearing in all 18 matches and led the region in both kills (136) and kills per set (2.43).
Stellato led the two baseball selections with a 3.96 GPA, he appeared in 23 games this season batting .306 with 15 hits and 21 runs scored. Caulfield sported a 3.79 GPA appearing in 18 games with a .276 average and three home runs.
Richardson and Mullins were both multiple time participants in NJCAA Championships for cross country and track and field and recorded 3.77 and 3.73 GPA respectively. Richardson will leave NECC as the school record holder in the high jump and 3000 meter steeplechase where she competed in both events at this year's national championship. Mullins, will head to Fitchburg State in the fall as the school record holder in the 1500 meter and 3000 meter events. She placed in both events at this year's NJCAA Championship and was also a qualifier for two cross country national championships and competed in the 1500 at last year's NJCAA Championship.
Scott recorded a 3.80 GPA for the year and was named the college's Male Scholar Athlete of the Year at the awards banquet in April. He returned to the court this season after missing the second half of his freshman campaign to injury. He appeared in 25 games this past year with 11 starts and finished the season shooting 90% from the free-throw line.
Northern Essex Community College competes as a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and sponsors nine varsity intercollegiate sports including baseball, men's basketball, golf, softball, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country and men's and women's track and field. For more information on Northern Essex Community College Athletics please visit the official website of Northern Essex Athletics (www.neccknights.com)