POPLARVILLE — Just about every athletic team at Pearl River community College enjoyed successful seasons in their respective sports this past year.

At the same time, quite a few of the athletes on those squads were setting high standards in the classroom as well.

Sixteen Pearl River Community College student-athletes earned MACJC Academic All-State honors, while six Lady Wildcat softball scholars and a Lady Wildcat soccer scholar earned NJCAA Academic All-American status for the 2013-2014 school year.

In addition, the college’s 2014 softball and baseball squads were named All-Academic teams by the NJCAA with 3.52 and 3.14 team grade point averages, respectively.

“Here at Pearl River, our student-athletes are truly students first,” said Jason Francis, PRCC athletic director. “Our coaches dedicate large amounts of time and effort in making sure their student-athletes are succeeding in the classroom.”

Softball Academic All-Americans include infielder Heather Boutwell of Oak Grove High (3.82 GPA), outfielder Micah Davis of Poplarville High (3.86 GPA), catcher Kelsea Lewis of Oak Grove High (4.0 GPA), infielder Rebecca Mitchell of Pearl River Central High (3.73 GPA), outfielder Megan Scronce of Petal High (3.91 GPA), and pitcher Ashton Rogers of Poplarville (3.86 GPA), while soccer forward Karly Mitchell of Poplarville High (4.0 GPA) was also named to the All-American listing.

Boutwell, Davis, Lewis, Rogers, and Scronce also nabbed Distinguished Academic All-MACJC honors, while catcher Miranda Fazende of Poplarville High (3.56 GPA), outfielder Allie Flint of Madison Central High (3.30 GPA), and Mitchell drew Academic All-MACJC accolades.

“As coaches we are very proud of our team for earning and accomplishing our team’s success in the classroom,” said softball coach Leigh White.

Five Lady Wildcat soccer scholars earned All-MACJC Academic honors in midfielder Alejandra Garcia out of Center Hill High in Olive Branch (3.29 GPA), forward Christina Gentry of Horn Lake High (3.26 GPA), midfielder Kacy Mixon out of East Central High in Hurley (3.46 GPA), manager Shelby Stiglets of Oak Grove High (3.65 GPA), and manager Mary Alice Turner of Madison Central High (3.55 GPA), while Mitchell copped All-MACJC Distinguished All-MACJC accolades.

Two River football standouts in defensive lineman Gemonne Brown of Petal High (3.44 GPA) and offensive lineman Carson Miller of West Point High (3.33 GPA) were cited with Academic All-MACJC honors.

NJCAA teams with a 3.0 or higher overall GPA receive the All-Academic Team honors.

“We have a great academic support system in place and our student-athletes utilize it,” said Francis. “This academic excellence is nothing new. The majority of our sports teams maintain GPA’s of 3.0 or higher each and every year.”