Haverhill, MA (July 18, 2024) – Following the conclusion of the 2023-24 academic year, 11 Northern Essex Community College student-athletes were named to the NJCAA All-Academic teams as announced by the national office. The 11 selections are the highest among all members of NJCAA Region 21.
In order to earn NJCAA All-Academic recognition student-athletes must complete a minimum of 24 credits during the academic year while earning a GPA of 3.6 or higher. Students earning a 3.6-3.79 GPA will be recognized with third team recognition, 3.8-3.99 will earn second team recognition and those with a 4.00 GPA will earn first team honors.
For the academic year, the Knights had four students earn third team honors while seven were recognized on the second team. The men's basketball which finished fifth in the national tournament led way with three honorees, while four other teams each had a pair of students recognized.
Earning second team honors, from the men's basketball team were Camill Palacioglu (Tuebingen, Germany) and Kyoya Sasaki (Tokyo, Japan). From the District Championship baseball team was Michael Fabiano (Reading).
From the Region 21 runner-up men's soccer and women's basketball teams earning second team recognition were Jonathan Diaz (Methuen) and Emma Ruggeriro (Chelmsford). Matthew Stevens (Haverhill) picked up second team honors while competing in track and cross country and Leylani Crespo (Haverhill) earned second team honors competing in women's track and field.
Third team honors were picked up by Angel Lopez (Lawrence) of the men's soccer team, Kamrynn Pastorello (Billerica) from women's basketball, Edwin SamMbaka (Paris, France) of the men's basketball team and Haverhill's Ryan Brown of the baseball team.
Palacioglu recorded the highest GPA among all student-athletes for the academic year completing 35 credits with a 3.99 grade point average.
The Knights will kick off the 2024-25 year with practices beginning in the first week of August and men's soccer will play the first contest of the new school year welcoming Mercer County Community College to Haverhill on August 31st.