Wallace State Athletes Recognized as All-Americans by NJCAA

Hanceville, Ala. — Wallace State Community College is proud to announce that several athletes were recognized by the Nation Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) as All-Americans in their respective sports.

“We are incredibly proud of our student-athletes and the dedication they’ve shown both on and off the field,” said Wallace State Athletic Director Paul Bailey. “Being named an NJCAA All-American is a testament to their hard work, talent, and the outstanding support from our coaches and athletic staff. These honors reflect the excellence we strive for at Wallace State.”

The Wallace State athletes recognized by the NJCAA for their outstanding performance during the 2024-2025 season include:

• Luke Fernandez of Cummings, Ga. - NJCAA DI Baseball First Team All-American
• Mallory Brooks of Southside, Ala. - NJCAA DII Women's Golf First Team All-Americans
• Luke Kennedy of Owens Cross Roads Ala. - NJCAA DII Men's Cross Country First Team All-American
• Brooklynn Sertell of Odenville, Ala. - NJCAA DI Softball 2nd Team All-American
• Kallie Tinker of Pisgah, Ala - NJCAA DI Women's Basketball 3rd Team All-American
• Kami Young of Atlanta, Ga. - NJCAA DI Men's Basketball Honorable Mention All-American

Fernandez was also named the NJCAA Division I Pitcher of the Year and is as two-time Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) Pitcher of the Year. He is the national leader in ERA at 1.34 and strikeouts per game at 15.17. He was also named an ACCC Pitcher of the Week.

Brooks finished sixth in the nation individually in women’s golf and helped the team finish fifth in the nation. She was twice named an ACCC Player of the Week.

Kennedy is a two-time ACCC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year and helped lead the Lions to a third-place finish in the NJCAA Cross Country Championship, where he finished in 10th place.

Sertell helped lead the Lions softball team to a third-place finish at the NJCAA DI Softball World Series. She was named to the 2025 NJCAA DI Softball Championship All-Tournament Team. She was also named ACCC All-Conference and an ACCC Player of the Week.

Tinker helped the Lady Lions basketball team make their first trip to the NJCAA tournament in 14 years. She earned All-Conference honors and was named an ACCC Player of the Week during the season.

Young helped lead the Lions basketball team to their second straight NJCAA tournament and became just the second Wallace State player to participate in the NJCAA All Star game. He was twice named an ACCC Player of the Week.

“We are extremely proud of these student-athletes and all that they and our athletics teams have accomplished this year,” said Kristen Holmes, Vice President for Students.

Seven Wallace State athletic teams claimed ACCC conference championships during the 2024-2025 season: Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Golf, and Men’s and Women’s Tennis. Seven teams finished in the top 10 in national competitions. Men’s and Women’s Cross Country finished third and fourth, respectively. Softball finished in third place, Women’s Golf finished in fifth place, and Men’s and Women’s Tennis finished in eighth and 10th place, respectively.

Wallace State will soon field two new sports teams. Men’s Soccer and Women’s Flag Football will each begin play in Fall 2025. For more information about Wallace State Athletics, visit athletics.wallacestate.edu.

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About Wallace State

Wallace State Community College (Ala.), a member of the Alabama Community College System, is a comprehensive community college in north central Alabama offering more than 200 options in academic, health and technical programs of study leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer, as well as workforce-credit training and adult education. An Achieving the Dream Leader College, nationally recognized by the Aspen Institute as a Rising Star for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, ranked by Southern Business and Development among the Top 3 institutions in the South for workforce development, named a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing and the National Security Administration, rated the Top Online Community College in Alabama, a Military Friendly Institution and an All-Steinway School, Wallace State is an outstanding place for students to pursue their education and career goals. Classes are offered online and on campus, day, evening and on weekends, with numerous start dates each year. Visit Wallace State’s beautiful main campus located on 300-acres in Hanceville, Ala., our satellite location in downtown Oneonta, Ala., find us online at www.wallacestate.edu, or call 256.352.8000.