EYE ON ATHLETICS
EXCELLENCE
Beyond the Scoreboard
Winning championships and earning national rankings often grab the headlines, but at EFSC, success is measured in the classroom as well as on the playing field. That commitment to academic achievement was once again recognized on the national stage as nine Titan Athletics programs were named 2025-26 NJCAA Academic Teams of the Year.
The honor highlights programs that excel academically while balancing the rigorous demands of competition, travel, and training. For EFSC student-athletes, it reflects a culture where earning a degree remains the ultimate goal.
Several of the recognized teams enjoyed remarkable competitive success during the year. Five of the nine programs advanced to national tournament competition, proving that excellence in athletics and academics can go hand in hand.
Leading the way academically was the women’ s golf team, which posted a 3.55 team GPA while also finishing sixth in the nation at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Freshman Blair Powers earned a perfect 4.0 GPA and was named to the NJCAA All-Academic First Team.
The softball team delivered a season for the record books, making its first-ever appearance at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament and advancing to the national final eight. In the classroom, the Titans recorded a 3.46 team GPA, with Hannah Davis and Martha Jones earning perfect 4.0 GPAs. For Jones, it marked a second consecutive year of first-team academic honors.
The men’ s soccer program continued its tradition of achievement both on and off the field. Recognized nationally for the third straight year, the Titans compiled a 3.36 team GPA while earning their third consecutive trip to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. Six players, including Jacopo Caprile, Aidan McAteer, Ismail Mukalazi, Louis
Munn, Shuto Sano, and Alvin Ssekamate, finished the academic year with perfect 4.0 GPAs.
Academic success extended across the department. The men’ s tennis team posted a 3.30 GPA while celebrating a national championship at No. 2 doubles, and the men’ s golf program earned academic recognition for the sixth consecutive season while maintaining its remarkable streak of 25 straight national tournament appearances. The baseball team, honored for the second year in a row, was led by five student-athletes who achieved perfect GPAs.
Women’ s basketball, women’ s volleyball, and women’ s soccer were also recognized among the nation’ s top academic programs. The volleyball team earned the distinction for the fourth straight season, while women’ s basketball extended its streak to five consecutive years. Women’ s soccer added three NJCAA All-Academic First Team selections, with Rebecca Barros, Maria Jackson, and Jenna Moreland all posting 4.0 GPAs.
For Jeff Carr, EFSC’ s Associate Vice President of Athletics, the recognition represents the true spirit of Titan Athletics.“ Our student-athletes have once again excelled in the classroom, and we could not be prouder of their pursuit of academic excellence,” Carr said.“ The same work ethic, discipline, and determination they demonstrate in competition are reflected in their academic success. They have distinguished themselves among the best in the nation, and they continue to set an outstanding example of what it means to be a Titan.”
The latest honors continue a tradition of academic achievement within EFSC Athletics. The College has had at least nine athletic programs earn NJCAA Academic Team recognition in each of the past three years, underscoring an enduring commitment to developing students who succeed long after the final whistle.
SOFTBALL It was a banner season for the Eastern Florida State College softball team, which made the NJCAA Division I National Tournament for the first time in program history, and set seven team records, including 46 wins.
MEN’ S TENNIS EFSC men’ s tennis players Johan Mottlau and Filip Sormax won the NJCAA Division I National Championship, becoming the second doubles team in program history to win a national championship.
MEN’ S GOLF The Eastern Florida State College men’ s golf team finished 10th overall at the NJCAA Division I National Championship, finishing the tournament in the top 10 for the second time in five seasons.
WOMEN’ S GOLF The Eastern Florida State College women’ s golf team finished in sixth place at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament, marking the best finish in program history.
BASEBALL The Eastern Florida State College baseball team finished the season 21-29 overall and 14-19 in the Citrus Conference, winning the final six games of the regular season.
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