Four runners, two basketball players named to all-academic teams
The NJCAA named Florida Gateway College’s women’s cross country program a 2022-23 NJCAA Academic Team of the Year on Monday, recognizing them for maintaining the second-highest GPA in the nation for women’s cross country teams.
Sophomore Kayla Desmartin and freshman Ashlyn Speigner both were named first team all-academic for having a perfect 4.0 GPA. Desmartin’s twin sister Kyla and freshman Morgan Wilson garnered third team all-academic honors for GPAs between 3.6 and 3.79.
Two other athletes from FGC’s men’s basketball team were also named to the all-academic teams. Freshman guard Antewan Webber, who was an NJCAA D-II first team All-American, notched a spot on the all-academic first team with a 4.0 GPA. Sophomore center Eric Canavan made the second team with a GPA between 3.8 and 3.99.
“We are really proud of our student-athletes for this honor,” FGC athletic director Chris Hackett said. “It is a team effort between the coaches recruiting serious students, the support system we have in place at FGC, and the athletes making a commitment to their education.”
The awards cap off an incredible 2022-23 season of FGC’s athletic department that saw three teams compete in national tournaments, including the women’s flag football program winning the first-ever NJCAA national title.