Highland Students Earn 24 National Academic Honors

Twenty-four Highland Community College athletes just earned national academic honors from the NJCAA, proving that dedication in the classroom can match dedication on the field.

The National Junior College Athletic Association recognized these student-athletes for maintaining grade-point averages of 3.60 or higher throughout the entire academic year. They're among 13,723 students nationwide who earned this distinction.

Five Highland students stood out with perfect 4.0 GPAs. Brianna Gonnerman balanced two sports, playing both basketball and volleyball while acing every class. Garrett Houston dominated on the baseball diamond and in his studies. Cailyn Lane and Taryn Mathews, both volleyball players, joined the 4.0 club alongside basketball player Darryl Toney III.

Eight more athletes landed on the second-highest honor roll with GPAs between 3.80 and 3.99. Cameron MacDonald pulled off the impressive feat of competing in both baseball and bowling while maintaining top grades. Addison Ness, like Gonnerman, juggled two sports with basketball and volleyball.

Another eleven Highland athletes earned third-team honors for GPAs between 3.60 and 3.79. The group included athletes from every corner of campus, from golf and baseball to softball and cross country.

Why This Inspires

These numbers tell a story beyond transcripts and trophies. Every practice, game, and road trip demands hours that other students spend studying. These athletes found a way to do both.

Highland's men's bowling team received extra recognition as the NJCAA Men's Bowling Academic Team of the Year with a 3.42 team GPA. That's an entire squad proving that team excellence extends beyond competition.

The achievement shows what's possible when students refuse to choose between their passions. Twenty-four Highland athletes just demonstrated that you don't have to sacrifice one dream to chase another.