The Rochester Community and Technical College wrestling team had a strong outing on the mat at last weekend's NJCAA National Tournament. Turns out the Yellowjackets did pretty well in the classroom as well.
Garrett Millerof Plainview and Joe Bunneof Grand Meadow were both All-Americans for placing in the top eight at the national tournament. Miller was third at 174 pounds and Bunne was fourth at 197. RCTC placed 11th as a team.
The Yellowjackets also captured the Academic Award for having the highest team grade-point average among any NJCAA wrestling program.
"We have always stressed academics and doing well in the classroom," RCTC coach Randy Ragersaid. "Our average team GPA this season is a 3.24, and this award shows that the guys have been working hard not only on the mat, but also in the classroom.
"There's three things we stress in our program: Become a better person, become a better student, and become a better wrestler," the coach added. "This team has surpassed my expectations in all ways and it has been an honor working with them."
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The RCTC men's baskeball team has three players named to the All-Southern Division team and Yellowjackets coach Brian LaPlantewas the division's Coach of the Year.
RCTC players honored were sophomore center Joe Beckof Lake City and freshmen guards Justyn Gallowayand Rico Gunn. Beck and Galloway were also named to the MCAC All-State team.
The Yellowjackets won the Southern Division with a perfect 12-0 record.
• Riverland Community College had sophomore Zach Bunchand freshman Andrew Lauof Glenville were named to the All-Southern Division and the MCAC All-State team.
Sophomore Rebekah Aaseof Austin was named first-team All-Southern Division and MCAC All-State for the Riverland's women's basketball team.
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James Allenof Rochester is a member of the Ripon (Wis.) College men's track and field team. The Century grad was part of a school record-setting relay in the Midwest Conference indoor meet last weekend.
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Allen, a sophomore, was part of a foursome that put up a time of 3:34.23 and finished second in the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay. Allen was also a member of the 800 relay team that placed seventh.
Ripon, a Division III school, placed third in the conference meet.
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Greg Thompsonof Rochester is a member of the Division I men's swimming and diving team at South Dakota State University that placed second in the Summit League Championships meet last weekend.
Thompson, a senior, competed in the 500 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly at the conference meet. He placed 20th in the 200 butterfly, 22nd in the 100 butterfly and 25th in the 500 freestyle.
The John Marshall grad was named a Distinguished Scholar as a junior and has been named to the Academic All-League Team in each of his first three years. He will likely achieve that honor again as a senior.
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Gustavus Adolphus senior Amrik Donkenaof Rochester had a strong performance in front of the home crowd last week at the 2013 ITA Division III National Indoor Team Championships in men's tennis.
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The Mayo grad led Gustavus to an upset of eighth-ranked UC-Santa Cruz and a narrow 5-4 loss against Johns Hopkins. Donkena won both his singles and doubles matches in each contest. For his performance, Donkena was named the MIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week.
The Gusties are 4-3 overall and 1-0 to start conference play as they attempt to win their 25th straight MIAC regular-season championship.
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The Rochester Honkers have signed Jeff Campbell, a sophomore infielder and right-handed pitcher from the University of North Dakota, for the 2013 summer season.
Campbell, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound Clearwater, Fla., native, just earned his first win on the mound, pitching a four-hit shutout against seventh-ranked Division II St. Cloud State in a 2-0 win. Campbell also went 1-for-3 at the plate, hitting third in the lineup.
Campbell is leading 4-2 North Dakota in RBIs (five) and home runs (one) as their starting first baseman. He is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA.
As a freshman, Campbell hit .326 and led North Dakota in home runs (12), RBIs (47) and doubles (14). As a pitcher he was 4-7 with a 6.30 ERA.
