Seventy-five East Central Community College student-athletes have been honored by either the National Junior College Athletic Association or the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges, or both organizations, for their academic performance during the 2017-18 academic year.
In all, 45 ECCC student-athletes were recognized by the NJCAA and 75 were honored by the MACJC. East Central was third among all 15 community and junior colleges in Mississippi in the number or student-athletes honored by the NJCAA.
The NJCAA presents awards in three categories: First Team NJCAA All-Academic (for those achieving a perfect 4.0 grade-point average), Second Team NJCAA All-Academic (3.80 to 3.99 GPA), and Third Team NJCAA All-Academic (3.60 to 3.79 GPA).
Receiving First Team NJCAA All-Academic and their respective high schools included Bethany Wellerman (women’s tennis), Newton County Academy.
Receiving Second Team NJCAA All-Academic included Nathan Davis (golf), Newton County; Jay Johnston (baseball), Lake; and Ethan McMullan (football), Newton County.
Receiving Third Team NJCAA All-Academic included Cain Cleveland (baseball), Newton County, and Jacob Edwards (baseball), Newton County.
The academic honors presented to student-athletes on the state level include MACJC Distinguished Academic All-State (those earning a 3.8 to 4.0 GPA) and MACJC Academic All-State (3.25 to 3.79 GPA).
ECCC student-athletes receiving MACJC Distinguished Academic All-State included Nathan Davis, Jay Johnston, Ethan McMullan and Bethany Wellerman.
Those receiving MACJC Academic All-State included Connor Breland (football), Union; Cain Cleveland; Jacob Edwards; Landon Gibson; Tanner Elders (baseball), Newton County; Sara Mazzella (women’s tennis), Newton County Academy; Melanie McMillan (softball), Lake; and Alexis Tindall (women’s tennis), Newton County Academy.
