The new Fall 2023 volleyball season is about to start, but the accolades for last year's Bronco volleyball team - that finished ninth the nation at the 2022 NJCAA National Championships - are still rolling in.
Last week the American Volleyball Coaches' Association (AVCA) named the Bronco volleyball squad as one of their 2023 United State Marine Corps All-Academic team selections, one of only 22 NJCAA Division 1 programs to earn the honor.
The Western Junior College Athletic Conference (WJCAC) also announced their All-Academic selections, tapping 15 of the 17 Bronco players as either 1st of 2nd Team selections.
The nine Broncos named as WJCAC 1st team selections include seven sophomore and two freshman. Sophmores were: Vicki Johnson, Marysa Ocampo, Allyah Tokelau, Laila Bernardino, Barbara Guedes Rezende, MaryJane Vanisi, and Pricilla (Baby) Moleni. Freshmen selections were Adriana De Jesus and Rhiana Todd.
Six Broncos earned WJCAC 2nd team selections: sophomore Mio Yamamoto; and freshmen Charmayne Fa'amausili, Evelyn Araujo, Kekililani Helekahi, Vitoria Oliveira and Leah Linares.
"This is the first year that the conference had an All-Academic team, and I think it's a great addition," said head Bronco volleyball coach Shelby Forchtner. "I think the academic awards for excellence in the classroom are just as - if not more important - than the awards that are given for excellence on the court."
"We're really proud of this group because academics was a focus when we first brought these kids in to NMMI. They worked extremely hard in the classroom from the very start, and it paid off, "finished Forchtner, who is also the newly elected head of the ACVA's Two-Year College division.
Congratulations to all of our Bronco volleyball cadet-STUDENT-athletes on a great season and school year!