Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ

Fort Pierce, FL (January 29, 2026) – Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ (The River) has announced that three athletic teams – volleyball, women’s swimming and diving, and softball – will share the prestigious Academic All-Stars Skull Award for achieving a remarkable combined 3.51 GPA during the fall 2025 semester. This marks only the second time in The River’s history that teams have tied for the honor, and the first time three teams have shared the award. 

The announcement comes as The River’s athletic department celebrates its highest-ever departmental GPA of 3.43. Notably, 24 athletes earned perfect 4.0 GPAs. 

“I am proud of our student-athletes,” said Dr. Timothy E. Moore, Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ president. “They have shown us what is possible when young people commit themselves to excellence in every aspect of their lives. At Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ, we have built a culture where our student-athletes excel both academically and athletically, and they continue to raise the bar for themselves and their teammates. Congratulations to the Academic All-Stars Skull Award recipients.”

Athletic Director Scott Kimmelman praised the accomplishment as a reflection of the college’s commitment to developing well-rounded student-athletes. “We are incredibly proud of these young individuals who exemplify what it means to be a student-athlete,” Kimmelman said. “The dedication shown by our volleyball, swimming and diving, and softball teams represents the very best of Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ athletics. This achievement demonstrates that our student-athletes can compete at the highest level both in the classroom and in competition.” 

The volleyball team, led by Head Coach Erin Ergle, the women’s swimming and diving team under Head Coach Sion Brinn, and the softball team coached by Joe DellaRocca each maintained the exemplary 3.51 GPA that earned them the shared honor. 

For the softball program, this marks a historic first, as it is the first time in program history that the team has won the Academic All-Stars Skull Award. The women’s swimming and diving team saw 13 of its 21 athletes achieve GPAs over 3.5, with four earning a perfect 4.0.

The Academic All-Stars Skull Award recognizes the athletic team with the highest collective GPA each semester, encouraging student-athletes to pursue excellence both in their sport and in their studies. 

For more information about Î÷¹ÏÊÓƵ athletics, visit irsc.edu.