The Kean Cougars have reason to celebrate after the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) announced its 2025‑26 All‑Academic team, recognizing a record 161 student‑athletes from the university.
Academic Excellence Recognized
Among them, Annabelle Valencia and Ahad Shabazz-Henry earned first-team honors, while Emma Bellars and Chris Mitchell were placed on the second team, highlighting the depth of talent across the Cougars’ roster.
To qualify for the NJAC All-Academic squad, each athlete must be a sophomore, junior or senior and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20, while also participating in a conference-sponsored sport.
The conference recognized a total of 1,418 student-athletes this year, with first and second-team selections determined by each of the league’s ten full-member institutions, underscoring a collective commitment to academic excellence across the region.
The announcement not only celebrates individual achievement but also reflects the conference’s broader mission to integrate athletic participation with rigorous scholarship, setting a benchmark for collegiate sports programs.