By TODD MOORE
Barton Sports Info
Eighteen athletic teams within Barton Community College were recognized recently by the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) in announcing its 2023-24 Academic Teams of the Year achievements.
Compiling a cumulative 3.24 GPA across Barton's twenty-two athletic teams reporting to the NJCAA list, twelve placed among their respective sport's Top-20 leaderboard as 1,194 NJCAA teams achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Within Barton's twelve teams, seven placed within the nation's top ten rankings, women's bowling finishing as national runner-up with the men's indoor track and field squad the next highest with a 3rd overall placing.
Barton's volleyball team again claimed department bragging honors by compiling a 3.66 GPA with the women's golf team close behind at 3.58. Placing 19th out of 150 teams in the division, the Cougars' classroom achievement earned their 4th straight American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Honor Roll distinction representing being in the top 20% of the NJCAA. The high level academic achievement is the 7th overall for the program and the 16th time receiving AVCA recognition in the classroom.
Four teams finished with a 3.4 GPA or better, baseball's 40-man roster accumulated a 3.463 GPA to edge out softball's 3.462 for third best in the Department. Women's tennis came in third at 3.454 with women's swimming close behind at 3.423.
Amongst fellow KJCCC (Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference) members reporting to the NJCAA's academic requirements, thirteen Barton teams placed inside the top-5 with four coming out on top for KJCCC Academic titles: men's indoor and outdoor track and field squads, women's indoor track and field, and women's tennis.