July 19, 2024, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Five Grand Rapids Community College student-athletes were named to the National Junior College Athletic Association's All-Academic First Team, including Dan Kehoe and Trevin Laming who were First Team recipients for the second straight year.
Twenty-nine GRCC student-athletes were among 12,245 in the nation honored by the NJCAA for achieving GPAs of 3.6 and higher in the 2023-2024 All-Academic Awards announced this week.
Three GRCC athletic programs were also honored for their excellence in the classroom by being named an NJCAA Academic Team of the Year; the women's cross country team who had a combined GPA of 3.4, the women's volleyball team with a combined 3.29 GPA and the men's cross country team who finished with a combined 3.08 GPA.
Laming and
Aaron Bess - baseball players on the undefeated conference championship team -
Kehoe of the men's cross country team,
Abigail Buttermore of the women's soccer team, along with
Alyssa Wierenga of the volleyball and softball teams
were saluted. Criteria for earning this honor requires the student-athlete to earn a 4.0 throughout the year.
"Congratulations to all of our student-athletes and teams for being recognized for their hard work," Athletic Director Lauren Ferullo said. "It is always exciting to see our student-athletes succeed on the field, but more importantly in the classroom."
On the All-Academic Second Team, with GPAs of 3.8 to 3.99, are baseball players
Caleb Kuiper, Colton Blankstrom and
Andrew Pohlmann; volleyball player
Braelyn Berry;
McCoy DenHartigh and
Drew Harrington of the men's golf team;
Quinton Dixon of the men's cross country team; softball player
Vanessa Hewitt; men's soccer player
Reed Kaman; women's basketball player
Olivia McKellar; and
Ava Schultz, who played both volleyball and basketball.
On the All-Academic Third Team, for posting a GPA between 3.6 to 3.79, are women's cross country runner Emily Adamy; baseball players Walker Brockie and Tommy Reid; men's basketball player Javon Golson; men's cross country runners Anthony Lawlor and Joseph VanderKooi; softball players Madison Lemke and Joslyn Vanderhart; volleyball players Lillian Peterson, Sophie Ritsema and Maureen Winstanley; and women's soccer players Abigail Russell and Brooklyn Williams.
In addition to Laming and Kehoe, six other Raiders earned All-Academic honors for the second time; Bess, Kuiper, DenHartigh, Harrington, Reid, and Wierenga.
For a full list of individual recipients: NJCAA 2023 - 2024 All-Academic Teams
For a full list of academic teams of the year: NJCAA 2023 - 2024 Academic Teams of the Year
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GRCC Athletic's Scholarship Fund and can specify what scholarship fund the gift is going to, such as the Hofmann scholarship. If you have any questions on how to support Athletics at Grand Rapids Community College, contact the Athletic Department via phone at (616) 234-3883 or email
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