Laker Nation News

The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) recognized many Lake Land College Student Athletes and teams during the 2020-21 season for both athletic and academic accomplishments.

The Lake Land College Softball, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball and Baseball teams each earned 2021 NJCAA Academic Team awards. To be recognized as an NJCAA Academic Team, all team members must have a collective GPA of 3.00 or more.

Many individual athletes earned the 2021 NJCAA All-Academic First Team title, in which case the athlete took at least 24 credit hours and maintained a 4.00 GPA. These individuals include Men’s Basketball team member Isaiah May (Belleville), Softball team members Rachel Kaufman (Seymour, IN) and McKenzee Davee (Mattoon) and Volleyball team member Kelsi Geltz (Newton). From the Baseball team, Bryan Belo (Algonquin), Keegan Garis (Crystal Lake), Caleb Hurst (Charleston) and Jacob Spitz (Mattoon) earned the title. Women’s Basketball team members Olivia Niemerg (Teutopolis), Harley Barry (Shiloh), Kamaria Gant (Bloomington) and Elizabeth Buescher (Charleston) earned this honor as well.

Several Lake Land College athletes earned the 2021 NJCAA All-Academic Second Team title, signifying the athlete took at least 24 credit hours and maintained a 3.80-3.99 GPA. These athletes include Women’s Basketball team members Karrington Krabel (Paris) and Shania Schoonover (Pana), Softball team member Kyrsten Darrough (Flora) and Volleyball team member Lara Caldeira (Brazil, South America). Baseball team members Wes Harrell (Charleston), Isiah Hart (Lake Zurich), Ryan Janssen (Nokomis) and Paul Thoele (Dieterich) also earned the title.

Still more athletes earned the 2021 NJCAA All-Academic Third Team title, indicating the athlete earned at least 24 credit hours and maintained a GPA of 3.60-3.79. These athletes include Women’s Basketball team members Abigayle Weis (Effingham) and Josie Orris (Sullivan), Softball team members Klara Cejkova-Klaci (Prague, Czech Republic), Harley Mason (Casey) and Carson Cole (Windsor) and Volleyball team members Malorie Craig (Clay City) and Abby Kallis (Charleston). The Baseball players who earned the title include Michael Aragon (Barrington), Marc Babicz (Chicago), Keagan Brady (Charleston), Oliver Dunn (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), Dylan Guy (Effingham), Brock Minor (Paris), Andrew Morlen (Fishers, IN), Jackson Nichols (Mattoon), Caleb Slater (Vandalia) and Jacob Walker (Lafayette, IN).

From the Volleyball team Caroline DeSouza (Brazil, South America) earned NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 and both DeSouza and Morgan Parsons (Shelbyville) earned Great Rivers Athletic Conference All-Conference Team.

The Women’s Basketball team was the NCJAA Division II National Championship winner after being seeded number 2 at the national tournament. The team also finished second in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference.

Of the Women’s Basketball team, Gant earned NJCAA Division Two All American, NJCAA Division Two All-Region 24, NJCAA Division Two National Tournament All-Tournament Team and Great Rivers Athletic Conference All-Conference. Weis earned NJCAA Division Two All-Region 24 and Great Rivers Athletic Conference All-Conference. Tresior Newson (Normal West) earned NJCAA Division Two National Tournament All-Tournament Team and Barry was named NJCAA Division Two National Tournament MVP.

Women’s Basketball Coach Dave Johnson was named Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Co-Coach of the year, NJCAA Division Two District A Coach of the year and NJCAA Division Two Women’s Basketball Coach of the year.

For the Men’s Basketball team, Everett Stubblefield (Chicago) earned NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 and Great Rivers Athletic Conference All-Conference.

The Softball team was the Great Rivers Athletic Conference Champion as well as the Region 24 Runner-up. Kaufman earned NJCAA Division One All American, NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 Tournament Team, NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 and was named Great Rivers Athletic Conference Player of the Year. Kaitlyn Scheitler (Carol Stream) earned Great Rivers Athletic Conference Team, NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 and NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 Tournament Team. Tyanna Graber (Loogootee, IN) earned Great Rivers Athletic Conference Team, NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 and NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 Tournament Team.

Marama Makea (Wellington, New Zealand) and Cejkova-Klaci both earned Great Rivers Athletic Conference Team and NJCAA Division One All-Region 24. Cole, Darrough and Claire Maulding (Casey) all earned NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 as well, and Liz Titus (Neoga) earned NJCAA Division One All-Region 24 Tournament Team.

Softball Coach Nic Nelson was named Great Rivers Athletic Conference Coach of the Year.

The Lakers moving on include:

Baseball

Cole Paphlam – University of New Orleans

Kolby Pemberson – Mckendree University

Jackson Nichols – Eastern Illinois University

Ryan Drayer – McKendree University

Andrew Morlan – Delta State University

Will Roman – McPherson University

Isiah Hart – Purdue Fort Wayne

Bryce Lohman – Illinois Wesleyan College

Jacob Hammer – Hannibal LaGrange College

Keagan Brady – Millikin University, Franklin College, or Augustana College

Wes Harrell – University of Illinois (Academic)

Paul Thoele – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Dylan Guy – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Caleb Slater – University of Wisconsin Whitewater (Academic)

Andrew Erickson – US Army

Davis Johnson – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Jacob Spitz – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Gunner Laughhunn – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Volleyball

Caroline DeSouza – Park University

Morgan Parsons – Dominican University

Men’s Basketball

Isiah May – Central Methodist University

Christian Kapongoo – Queens University (NY)

Clint Weber – Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (Academic)

Softball

Rachel Kaufman – Eastern Illinois University

Carson Cole – Eastern Illinois University

Marama Makea – Eastern Illinois University

Kyrsten Darrough – Campbell University

Tyanna Graber – Ball State University

Taylor Warne – Purdue Fort Wayne

Harley Mason – Taylor University

Dee Campbell- Concordia University

Mackenzee Davee – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Macy Clark – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Women’s Basketball

Abbigale Wies – Maryville State University

Kamaria Gant – Harris Stowe University

Harley Barry – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Elizabeth Buescher – Eastern Illinois University (Academic)

Shaina Schoonover – Illinois State University (Academic)

Josie Orris – University of Illinois (Academic)

JaeLynn Riggleman – Lake Land College Dental Hygiene Program

Lake Land College is proud of the many talented individuals and teams involved with the college’s Athletics programs. For more information or to stay up to date on Laker Athletics, follow @LLCAthletics on Facebook and Twitter.

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