Be a student first.

No matter whether it is high school or college, any student-athlete knows that they need to keep their grades up in order to be eligible to continue their athletic pursuits.

Two former Maries County athletes have demonstrated this throughout the recently completed 2023-24 academic year at East Central College (ECC).

For earning a perfect 4.0 grade-point average (GPA), former Vienna Lady Eagle softball pitcher Abrea Simmons earned a spot on the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Academic First Team.

Appearing in 15 games, Simmons got the start in nine of them before ending her freshman season with a 3-7 record.

She earned her first win back on March 18 against Culver-Stockton College (CSC) pitching a complete game allowing four runs on nine hits and four walks to go with nine strikeouts.

Nearly a month later, Simmons would earn her second win of the season and reach double digits in strikeouts at the same time.

In game one of an April 9 doubleheader against Central Methodist University’s (CMU) JV squad, Simmons threw another complete game allowing one run on seven hits and two walks to go with a new career-high 10 strikeouts.

ECC went on to sweep the doubleheader from CMU’s JV by scores of 8-1 and 8-0.

Abrea’s third and final win of the spring came in a relief role.

On the road at Mineral Area College on May 2, Simmons pitched a scoreless inning of relief allowing just one hit while striking out two Lady Cardinal batters.

Assigned to Region 16 with most of its members in the Missouri Community College Athletic Conference (MCCAC) along with ECC, Simmons had plenty of company on the NJCAA All-Academic Team.

Additional First-Team selections from Region 16 alongside Simmons included Emily Anderson (State Fair Community College), Chloe Belle (North Central Missouri College), Briley Bouma (NCMC), Camryn Casey (Three Rivers Community College), Lily Consolino (Jefferson College), Jensyn Elder (Crowder College), Jordyn Foley (Missouri State University - West Plains), Dixie Gruber (CC), Lexus Hagood (TRCC), Brooklyn Hasler (MSU-WP), Jaley Hayes (CC), Madelyn Hefner (TRCC), Hope Helton (NCMC), Madyson Klostermann (Moberly Area Community College), Mackenzie Geiseler (St. Louis Community College), Lauren Krohn (NCMC), Lauren Martin (MACC), Sophia Meyer (Mineral Area College), Emily Miranda (MAC), Sami Picha (SFCC), Aubree Saporito (CC), Akiayah Scales (MAC), McKenzie Shinabery (JC), Kiara Sodini (SFCC), Teri Stinnett (TRCC), Natalee Watts (STLCC) and Jaelyn Winfrey (SFCC).

Simmons also had a handful off ECC student-athletes joining her on the NJCAA All-Academic First Team with 4.0 gpas including Alyssa Bruce (volleyball), Cory Chostner (baseball), James Harris (men’s soccer), Ethan Lush (men’s soccer), Addyson Steele (softball) and Jacob Wipke (men’s soccer).

Earning between a 3.6 and 3.79 gpa, former Belle Lady Tiger softball player Ryleigh Long was named to the NJCAA All-Academic Third Team.

Seeing action in 35 of ECC’s 40 games this past spring, Long had hits in 16 of them.

Facing Central back on Feb. 16, Long had a pair of doubles, three runs batted in (RBI) and a run scored for her firsts in those statistical categories.

Long finished with six doubles on the season putting her in a tie for second place on the team with Alexis Smalling and Ryan Stutzman.

Fast forward to March 12, Long set a new career high for hits in a game with three against Southwestern Illinois.

Of those three hits, one was Long’s first collegiate home run.

Ending up with three round trippers on the season, Long tied for third on the team with Anna Arman and Smalling.

Long’s other two home runs came in both games of an April 6 home doubleheader against St. Louis Community College.

Among four players that hit a triple for ECC last spring, Long’s lone three-bagger came against CMU’s JV in game two of an April 9 doubleheader in Union.

Also hitting a triple for ECC softball was Kylie McDaniel, Lexi Lewis and Avery Little.

Recording three RBIs in a game three times, Long finished with 20 for the season putting her tied for second with Payton Robinson.

Drawing a season-high three walks in March 21 action against St. Charles Community College, Long finished with 11 free passes for the season putting her fourth on the team.

Scoring 15 runs for the Lady Falcons, Long was tied for sixth on the team in that department.

Racking up 28 hits on the season, Long was sixth for the Lady Falcons.

Recording a .308 batting average, Long was fourth in that department while also posting a .388 on-base percentage also good for fourth place among ECC Lady Falcon softball players this past spring.

Posting a .495 slugging percentage, Long was third for ECC in that category.

Fellow Region 16 softball players joining Long on the NJCAA All-Academic Third Team were Hanna Anders (MACC), Josie Bezzole (TRCC), Rylie Boyer (NCMC), Emily Burke (SFCC), Hailey Cantrell (MAC), Taylor Engelmeyer (STLCC), Kennedy Evans (MSU-WP), Maelynn Garrett (CC), Chloe Helmer (NCMC), Addison Huber (NCMC), Abi Jorgensen (TRCC), Avery King (CC), Kaitlyn Maggard (SFCC), Jordan Moore (TRCC), Rylee Murray (NCMC), Alaura Padgett (CC), Amelia Pingleton (NCMC), Charlee Reese (SFCC), Jazmin Reinkemeyer (STLCC), Cassi Rodgers (NCMC), Natalie Rodriguez (CC), Lexi Sanchez (JC), Alexis Schoen (Metropolitan Community College - Kansas City), Camryn Sharp (JC), Laynee Tapp (CC), Gracelyn Wellman (MAC), Emma Wengler (MAC) and Natalie Wilks (TRCC).

Other ECC student-athletes earning NJCAA All-Academic Third-Team recognition in addition to Long were Jose Alfonso (baseball), Abigail Cowell (volleyball), Cassio Da Silva (men’s soccer), Adam DeBoer (baseball), Cole Evans (baseball), Caideyn Ferrell (baseball), Alexa Filkins (softball and volleyball), Tyler Finder (men’s soccer), Kannon Hibbs (baseball), Michael Holliday (men’s soccer), Damian Kunc (men’s soccer), Joshren Magnaye (baseball), Calogero Melia (men’s soccer), Samantha Nickerson (women’s soccer), Hayden Steelman (baseball) and Zach Stenger (baseball).