Avenger Academic Standouts Acknowledged By NJCAA

BROOKLYN, NY — ASA College’s stellar year received another boost this afternoon when the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced its winners of the 2013 Academic Student-Athlete Awards & Academic Teams of the Year.

A school-record ten student-athletes earned the distinction of winning one of the NJCAA’s three Academic Awards – five Exemplary (3.6-3.79 GPA), four Superior (3.8-3.99 GPA) and the school’s second-ever Pinnacle Award (4.0 GPA).

In addition to the individual accolades, two Avengers programs claimed NJCAA All-Academic team honors for maintaining a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 or higher – Women’s Outdoor Track & Field and Men’s Soccer.

When compared with the overall body of student-athletes in the NJCAA – over 60,000 on 3,500 teams in 28 different sports – the achievements of ASA’s award winners are truly put into perspective.

Over 1,600 NJCAA student-athletes met the requirements for individual academic honors, including 169 that earned the Pinnacle Award for Academic Excellence (4.0 GPA). Superior Academic Achievement (3.8+ GPA) honors went to 592 student-athletes and over 900 met the standard for Exemplary Academic Achievement (3.6+ GPA).

Academic team accolades (3.0+ team GPA) were earned by over 500 programs with 24 winning the distinction as the Academic Teams of the Year.

Here is a breakdown of ASA’s award-winning student-athletes and teams:

Pinnacle Academic Achievement Award (4.0 GPA on a 4.0 Scale)

ERIC ROSALES (MEN’S SOCCER): The sophomore defender from Sterling, VA was a key component of an Avengers defense that pitched shutouts in over half its games (9) and allowed eight goals in 16 games, good enough for a 0.52 goals against average. Rosales joins McKenzie Felix (Men’s Basketball – ’11) as ASA’s only Pinnacle award winners.

Superior Academic Achievement Award (3.8-3.99 GPA on a 4.0 Scale)

JOSE DIAZ (BASEBALL / 3.92 GPA): Diaz, a sophomore from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, saw time in 19 games and sported a .942 fielding percentage.

JONATHAN GARCIA (MEN’S SOCCER / 3.9 GPA): Garcia, a sophomore midfielder from Falls Church, VA, finished the 2012 season fourth on the team in goals (5), third in points (18) and tied for first in assists (8).

JOHNNY DELIZ (LACROSSE / 3.83 GPA): The second-year player from Queens saw action in 13 games in ASA’s 11-6 campaign in 2013. Deliz was also a member of ASA’s inaugural team in 2012.

JASON PORTUHONDO (BASEBALL / 3.83 GPA): The sophomore native of Nanticoke, PA played in 27 games and was a versatile player for ASA, seeing time at first base and catcher.

Exemplary Academic Achievement Award (3.6-3.79 GPA on a 4.0 Scale)

DORADO PHIPPS (MEN’S SOCCER / 3.78 GPA): The sophomore dynamo from Jamaica led ASA in goals (21) and total scoring (44 pts). His 21 goals were tied for sixth in the NJCAA.

TREVOR HARRIS (FOOTBALL / 3.77 GPA): Harris, a sophomore from Mount Dora, FL & University of Houston signee, recorded 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks for the 9-1 Avengers, the champions of the Northeast Football Conference in 2012.

JUSTIN STAPLETON (MEN’S SOCCER / 3.75 GPA): Stapleton teamed with Garcia to lead ASA’s defense this season and the sophomore from Kingston, St. Vincent added a pair of goals and three assists to his tally in 2012.

BRIANNA MITCHELL (WOMEN’S BASKETBALL / 3.65 GPA): The sophomore transfer from Harrisonburg, VA averaged 7.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 1.8 APG for the first-time District C Champions and NJCAA Division I National Championship qualifiers.

EDUARDO FAMILIA (BASEBALL / 3.6 GPA): Familia, a New Yorker with roots in the Dominican Republic, saw action in 19 games and posted a .315 average for the four-time Region XV Division I champs.

ALL-ACADEMIC TEAMS

WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (3.11 TEAM GPA): The Lady Avengers competed well all season long and sent six student-athletes to the NJCAA Outdoor National Championships in Hutchinson, KS.

MEN’S SOCCER (3.10 TEAM GPA): ASA Soccer broke through in a major way in 2012 with a school-record 12-2-2 campaign while nearly winning the Region XV title for the first time in program history.