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Olney Central College student-athletes excelled in the classroom during the 2024–2025 academic year, achieving impressive results that earned national recognition.
All four athletic programs were recognized as NJCAA Academic Teams of the Year — with each having players recognized as NJCAA Academic All-Americans.
“We had 22 individual Academic All-Americans, which is roughly 30 percent of all athletes,” said OCC Athletic Director and Softball Coach Nick Short. “That is a crazy high number.”
All four teams earned GPAs above 3.0, a benchmark that Short says reflects a strong culture of academic excellence. He noted Men’s Basketball posted its highest team GPA in his 19 years at OCC at 3.46, tying for sixth nationally.
The OCC Women’s Softball team led the way with the college’s top team GPA of 3.65, followed by Women’s Basketball at 3.27 and Baseball at 3.17.
Short credits the combined effort of student-athletes, coaches and campus support staff for the department’s success.
“Obviously, it begins with our athletes doing the work, and they did a fantastic job this past year in the classroom,” he said. “We would not have success without our advisors, front office and support staff making sure students know about the resources available to them. Our coaching staff also plays a role in accountability and creating a culture where academics are prioritized. They all did a great job.”
The NJCAA recognizes student-athletes with a 3.60 GPA or higher as Academic All-Americans. This honor is divided into three tiers: First Team for those with a 4.0 GPA, Second Team for those earning GPAs between 3.80 and 3.99, and Third Team for GPAs between 3.60 and 3.79.
Short said this year’s accomplishments reflect the standard OCC athletics strives to uphold each season.
“We expect this level of commitment in the classroom every year,” he said. “I believe we have had department GPAs over 3.0 every year I have been here, and we expect it to continue.”
OCC’s 2024–2025 NJCAA Academic All-Americans include:
First Team: Rylee Bloomer, Emily Czerwonka, Alli Downes, Brooklyn Garrett, Morgan Kehl, Kayla Kocher, Ashton Mayes, Becca Minor and Kennedi Odum, Softball; Hunter Kaplan, Brett Kocher and Bradey Moad, Baseball; and Lexi McKinney, Women’s Basketball.
Second Team: Amyia Stickland and Kadence Simmons, Softball; Sammy Hallada, Baseball; and Kasym Nash and Cristobal Vargas, Men’s Basketball
Third Team: Lauren Payton, Softball; Logan Webb, Men’s Basketball; and Brock Bitterman and Isabella Slocum, Women’s Basketball.
