LA JUNTA – The NJCAA honors both athletic and academic achievement in student athletes at the junior college level. Otero Junior College proudly recognizes ten students who were individually honored for their academic achievements in the 2012-2013 year.
To qualify for NJCAA Academic All-American honors, student athletes must maintain a 3.6 or better cumulative grade point average and have been enrolled as a full-time student for three semesters.
Four OJC students met the qualifications for Superior Academic Achievement: Meridath Barnes (3.93), women’s basketball; Eliel Ruiz (3.9), men’s soccer; Jessica Romine (3.86), softball; and Sarah Pigg (3.81), women’s basketball.
Exemplary Academic Achievement honors were earned by six Rattler athletes: Danielle Romine (3.74), softball; Amber Garrett (3.69), volleyball; Andre Rieder (3.69), men’s basketball; Chris Strong (3.69), men’s basketball; Ian McGraw (3.63), baseball; and Dusti Morrison (3.61), softball.
In addition to these individual honors, Rattler Softball, Women’s Soccer and Women’s Basketball also earned team honors with cumulative team grade point averages of 3.0 or higher. OJC’s women’s basketball team earned a team GPA of 3.35, softball earned a team GPA of 3.23 and women’s soccer earned a team GPA of 3.03.
Gary Addington, athletic director at OJC, credits the strong work ethic of the students and the collaboration between coaching staff and faculty. “Otero Junior College is committed to developing student athletes both on and off the playing field. These students exemplify the spirit of Otero. We are proud of what they have accomplished and expect to see them go on to great things.”