The Monroe Community College athletic program finished second in the race for the 2007-2008 NATYCAA Cup. MCC finished just nine points behind the winning college, Johnson County Community College of Overland, Kan.
The NATYCAA Awards are given to recognize overall athletic program excellence by two-year colleges based on success in championship competition at the national level. The Tribunes, who are in the NJCAA Scholarship Division, won the Cup in 2006 and 2007. They were third in 2005.
Murph Shapiro, athletic director, represented Monroe Community College at an awards ceremony in Dallas, June 8-9.
"It’s an honor to our athletic program, our coaches, and our student-athletes," said Shapiro. "It’s also a great way to honor our president, R. Thomas Flynn, as he retires."
The top three colleges in each division (NJCAA Scholarship, NJCAA non-scholarship, and State Associations) at the end of the school year receive a trophy at the convention. The top three also receive a cash award for their institution's general scholarship fund in the amount of $2,500 for first place and $1,000 for second and third place.
Monroe finished with a total of 133 points, second only to Johnson County's 142. MCC's women's teams contributed a total of 79 points, which was tops in the nation. Tribune men's teams scored 54 points.
MCC captured one national title during the 2007-2008 academic year, as the women's softball team won its third straight NJCAA Division III championship. Two teams, women's swimming and diving and ice hockey, finished runner-up.
The Tribune baseball team had its best finish ever, placing third at the Division II World Series. The MCC women's lacrosse team lost in the national semifinals, while the men's swimming and diving team boasted an individual national champion and placed fourth as a team.
The women's soccer team finished in fifth place at nationals, while the women's basketball team was also a national participant.
This is the fifth year of the NATYCAA Awards Program. The National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) is the national professional organization of all two-year college athletic administrators from throughout the United States.
Established in 1987, NATYCAA is the only professional organization that represents all two-year institutions of higher education in the United States.
Tom Garigen
Athletics
06/13/2008 |