DERBY EARNS PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS

AUSTIN, Texas – Northeast Community College sophomore women's soccer player Erica Derby (Keenesburg, Colo.) was named First Team Academic All-America, it was announced by College Sports Communicators (CSC) Thursday.

Derby helped guide the Hawks to a Region XI Tournament Championship title, a North Plains District Championship victory, an appearance at the NJCAA DII Women's Soccer National Tournament and a 19-4-1 record in 2022. Northeast also remained in the top-10 of the NJCAA DII Women's Soccer Rankings throughout the entire campaign. As a defender, Derby contributed to Northeast tying Phoenix College for the most shutouts in all of NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer with 15. The sophomore also pitched in three goals and four assists from the backline.

Derby was named First Team All-Region after being named Second Team All-Region in 2021. She was named Defensive MVP of the Region XI Tournament both in 2021 and 2022. Derby started 23 games, scored one goal and tallied four assists during her freshman year where the Hawks again led the nation in shutouts with 14. In 2021, Northeast won the Region XI Tournament, the North Plains District Championship, appeared at the NJCAA DII Women's Soccer National Tournament and had a record of 17-6-1 with the aid of Derby.

In the classroom, Derby graduated Northeast with a 4.0 GPA as a pre-professional engineering major. She was named NJCAA First Team All-Academic after her freshman year and was named First Team Academic All-Region by the ICCAC during all four of her semesters in a Hawks uniform. Derby was also a vital member of the Hawks Athlete Advisory Council.

CSC receives about 20,000 nominations during the academic year across all championship sports. Academic All-District selections are made and then those student-athletes advance to the national ballot. CSC members cast their votes and approximately 1,750 student-athletes receive Academic All-America honors. Derby is just one of 11 student-athletes from the NJCAA ranks to obtain the accolade.

"Erica has embodied the true meaning of a student-athlete during her time at Northeast," Northeast Athletic Director Jerrett Mills said. "Since the first time she stepped foot on campus, she has excelled athletically with the women's soccer team, making back-to-back national tournament appearances. Academically, Erica shined in the classroom as she worked towards a degree in pre-professional engineering. She is more than deserving of this nationally prominent award, voted on by members of other institutions throughout the United States."

Derby is the second Northeast student-athlete to earn the esteemed honor as former Hawks volleyball player Kalli Brester earned the distinction following the 2018-2019 athletic season.

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