Kishwaukee College had a College-record 46 student-athletes nominated for the Arrowhead
Conference Bob Bopp Academic Excellence Team during the 2023-2024 athletic season.
The award honors Bob Bopp, a major supporter of the Arrowhead Athletic Conference
and its athletes, and recognition is given to student-athletes who complete at least
12 credits per semester while achieving a 3.00 or higher cumulative GPA for the academic
year. The following Kishwaukee student-athletes were nominated:
Men's Baseball — Will Baumgartner, Sycamore; Victor Becerra, Hillside; Ethan Byham, Crystal Lake;
Forrest Gerber, Chana; Cameron Knapp, Plainfield; Dean Rizzo, Lake in the Hills; Aidan
Rodriguez, Rochelle; Ian Solger, Lake in the Hills
Men's Basketball — Amonn Burns, Indianapolis, Ind.; Cooper Hasz, Rochelle; Chance Perry, DeKalb; Brock
Zimmerman, Somonauk
Women's Basketball — Mariah Drake, Oregon; Emily Gilbert, Genoa
Women's Bowling — Kyra Pyburn, Kingston; Carly Summers, Esmond; Avie Truran, Kirkland
Men's Cross Country — Josue Huerta, Rochelle; Thomas Kozial, Rochelle
Coed Esports — Katrina Ingalls, Oregon; Hailey Knight, Honolulu, Hawaii; Nathan Merryman, Sycamore;
Austin Salter, DeKalb
Men's Golf — Owen Haas, Rochelle; Josh Melms, Sycamore; Griffin Ohlinger, Rochelle; Charlie Wetzel,
Sycamore
Women's Golf — Georgia Arhos, New Market, Md.; Ella Hensley, Genoa,
Men's Soccer — Jonathan Avendano, Davis Junction; Garett Cook, Earlville; Andrew Davison, Elburn;
Carter England, Sycamore; Will Romero Montoya, Sycamore; Charlie Roots, Sycamore
Women's Soccer — Georgia Arhos, New Market, Md.; Mavi Avila, Rochelle; Abby Tarvestad, Steward
Women's Softball — Chelsea Hatfield, Waterman; Kyra Johnson, Maple Park; Linnea Nelson, Byron; Alyssa
Owen, Smithton; Alyssa Wilkerson, Sycamore
Women’s Volleyball — Addie Friedstad, Rochelle; Julie Leon, DeKalb; Destiny McKinnie, Cortland; Avery
Salsbury, Oregon
In addition, 15 student-athletes also received National Junior College Athletic Association
(NJCAA) All-Academic nominations. Student-athletes with a 4.00 GPA earned NJCAA All-Academic
First Team, a 3.80-3.99 GPA earned NJCAA All-Academic Second Team, and a 3.60-3.79
GPA earned NJCAA All-Academic Third Team. The following student-athletes were nominated:
First Team — Will Baumgartner, Sycamore; Ethan Byham, Crystal Lake; Hailey Knight, Honolulu,
Hawaii; Avery Salsbury, Oregon; Brock Zimmerman, Somonauk
Second Team —Forrest Gerber, Chana; Cameron Knapp, Plainfield; Thomas Kozial, Rochelle; Aidan
Rodriguez, Rochelle
Third Team — Amonn Burns, Indianapolis, Ind.; Josue Huerta, Rochelle; Alyssa Owen, Smithton;
Kyra Pyburn, Kingston; Avie Truran, Kirkland; Charlie Wetzel, Sycamore
“The 2023-2024 athletic year was a great year of competition, and we are very proud
of our student-athletes who achieved academic recognition. Their efforts inside and
outside the classroom are exceptional, and it is exciting to see a record number of
our student-athletes being successful role models for the College and community,”
said Scott Kawall, Director of Student Involvement, Athletic Director.
With a new athletic season starting in August, Kishwaukee College is ready to welcome
its next class of athletes. To learn more about athletics at Kish, visit www.kishkougars.com.