MESA, Ariz. -- July 31, 2024 -- Six Mesa Community College (MCC) Thunderbird teams and 45 athletes earned All-Academic honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). In order to qualify, athletes must have at least a 3.60 GPA during the previous year. Those with 4.0 averages earn First Team recognition, those with a 3.80-3.99 average are on the Second Team and those with 3.60-3.79 GPAs are Third Team.
This season’s teams earning academic recognition include Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Women’s Golf, Women’s Cross Country, Women’s Beach Volleyball and Women’s Basketball. A listing of the individual athletes receiving honors can be found at mesatbirdsports.com.
“Excelling in the field or on the court and in the classroom is a challenge, especially for athletes who achieve at the regional and national levels our Thunderbirds do,” said John Mulhern, MCC Athletic director. “Our athletes find out quickly that ‘Commit to your education’ is a serious goal in our department and that we strongly support them in achieving academic excellence in addition to honing their athletic skills.”
There are multiple study areas and support services. Coaches monitor the athletes’ academic progress. Each team hosts study sessions and there is an athlete gathering area and a classroom where they can use technology to complete assignments. In the library, athletes sign up when they enter to research or study and sign out when they leave. Coaches can access the library time data.
Since 2006, 393 MCC student athletes have earned NJCAA ALL-Academic honors with a minimum of a 3.6 GPA and 79 teams have been honored for having composite 3.0-or-better GPAs. Mesa has been one of the most dominant programs in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) for years, either winning or sharing 144 ACCAC Conference Championship and 20 National Team Championships. Thunderbird teams have earned 103 Region I championships.
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Media Contact: Dawn Zimmer, dawnzimmer@mesacc.edu, 480-461-7892
Mesa Community College is nationally recognized for university transfer, career and technical programs, civic engagement, service-learning and innovative approaches to education. On average MCC students provide 23,000 hours of community service annually. For more than 50 years, the college has served as a resource for education, workforce development and lifelong learning. Host to more than 25,400 students annually, MCC offers degree and certificate programs at its two campuses and additional locations through a combination of modalities. MCC is transforming how it champions student success through Guided Pathways with Integrated Support Services and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. MCC is a Hispanic Serving Institution with nearly 50% of its students being the first in their families to attend college. MCC has the largest indigenous student population of all the Maricopa Community Colleges; its American Indian Institute serves students from the 22 federally recognized Arizona tribes as well as out-of-state tribes. The diverse student body includes hundreds of international students from around the world. Award-winning faculty are dedicated to student success, providing the education and training that empowers MCC students to attain their goals. Located in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, on the traditional territories of the O'odham, Piipaash and Yavapai Peoples, MCC is one of 10 colleges in the Maricopa County Community College District. Visit mesacc.edu to learn more.
MCC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org.
The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) is an EEO/AA institution and an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin. A lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in the career and technical education programs of the District. MCCCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age in its programs or activities. For Title IX/504 concerns, call the following number to reach the appointed coordinator: (480) 731-8499. For additional information, as well as a listing of all coordinators within the Maricopa College system, visit www.maricopa.edu/non-discrimination.