OXFORD, Ga. — On July 11, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced their 2021-2022 Academic Teams of the Year. These are the programs that achieved the highest grade point average in their respective sport throughout the academic year. 

This year, women’s tennis and men’s soccer were awarded this honor. Women’s tennis finished with a 3.79 GPA, while men’s soccer finished with a 3.64 GPA. Women’s tennis obtained the highest GPA among all Emory Oxford varsity programs, while men’s soccer has now been honored as Academic Team of the Year for the third straight time. 

Men’s tennis, which earned this award last year, finished in fifth place. Women’s soccer, another winner last year, finished tied for sixth place. The other Emory Oxford programs to finish in the top 10 were men’s golf (seventh), men’s basketball (tied-eighth) and women’s cross country (ninth). Men’s cross country finished just outside the top 10 and women’s golf did not have enough student-athletes to qualify. 

Within the Emory Oxford athletic department, all varsity teams earned a 3.0 GPA or higher marking the 10th straight year that this feat has been accomplished. 

The NJCAA also released their 2021-2022 All-Academic Teams and there were 56 Oxford College of Emory University student-athletes honored. This total breaks the previous record set last year of 51.

Student-athletes are eligible to earn academic honors by achieving an overall GPA of 3.60 or higher for the 2021-22 academic year. The criteria for the three All-Academic teams are listed below:

• NJCAA All-Academic First Team: 4.00 GPA

• NJCAA All-Academic Second Team: 3.80-3.99 GPA

•NJCAA All-Academic Third Team: 3.60-3.79 GPA

Three players made the first team, 29 earned second team honors while 22 made it on the third team from Emory at Oxford. Two student-athletes were recognized for two sports making it 56 total athletes recognized for Academic all-American honors.