AACC Athletics racked up the awards in the 2017-2018 school year, placing in double digits on both the All-Region and All-Conference teams.

Former Women’s Lacrosse midfielder Sofia Michael received the Betty Jo Graber Award honoring her as the 2017-2018 NJCAA Female Student Athlete of the Year.

Michael was the first athlete to win the award from Maryland and AACC.

Michael said she owes a lot of her success to Women’s Lacrosse coach Jim Griffiths.

“He made me love the sport again,” Michael said. “Coming out of high school, I had decided that I wasn’t playing, and he just renewed that joy. Because of him and the Athletic Department at AACC, I am now able to play two more years at Ashland University. I am very grateful for that.”

Through the fall semester, five out of the six athletes who received All-Region honors also earned All-Conference honors. Seven other athletes received just All-Conference.

Men’s Soccer forward Noah Beall was one of the six athletes who received All-Region and All-Conference honors last year.

“Coming into the year, it was definitely a goal of mine to get [honored] again,” Beall, a second-year business administration student, said.

Also earning All-Conference was second-year education student Gabbie Keogh.

“I didn’t even know I made it,” Keogh said. “My brother actually told me.”

Keogh advises athletes to come into the season in shape and get to know their teammates outside of practice.

Keogh plans to transfer to Hood College in the fall.

“When I go to Hood, I want to be an extra hand that they can rely on in any way that they need,” Keogh said.