Academic All-Stars
Three student-athletes named academic all-stars
Three student-athletes at Holyoke Community College were named academic All-Americans by the National Junior College Athletic Association for the 2025-2026 school year.
Gabriel Ibekilo of Belchertown, a first-year center on the HCC men’s basketball team, was named a First Team NJCAA Academic all-star. To receive First-Team recognition, student-athletes must earn a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
During the 2025-2026 academic year, the 19-year-old liberal arts major made Dean’s List during the fall and spring semesters, was inducted into the HCC chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and received an HCC academic award in May as the most outstanding student in political science.
On the basketball team, the 6-foot-7-inch Ibekilo started the year mostly as a reserve player, coming off the bench in January against Community College of Rhode Island in a breakout game to score 14 points with five rebounds, finishing his first year with 104 point and 146 rebounds.
“I’m really proud of what I’ve done academically so far,” said Ibekilo, who just started his second year at HCC. “On the athletic side, I just needed to find my footing, and this year I’m really looking forward to taking a step forward.”
Emily McGrail, a second-year center on the women’s basketball team, and Samantha Lowe, a first-year midfielder and defender on the women’s soccer team, were each named NJCAA Second-Team Academic All-Americans. For Second-Team recognition, student-athletes must earn a GPA between 3.80 and 3.99.
McGrail, of Ware, earned her associate degree in early education in May 2026 and is now a student at Westfield State University. She made Dean’s List during all four semesters she was enrolled and received an HCC award for Excellence in Early Education.
During her two years on the HCC women’s basketball team, McGrail scored 255 points and pulled down 326 rebounds, about 10 per game. McGrail also played on the women’s soccer team.
Meanwhile, Lowe, also of Ware, played 11 games in the 2025 season, scoring four goals and making five assists. A culinary arts major, she made the Dean’s List during her first two semesters and returned this semester for her second year on the team.
Representing 550 schools, the NJCAA is the largest athletic association for two-year colleges in the United States.
PHOTOS: (Thumbnail) Gabriel Ibekilo. (Above) Emily McGrail, left, and Samantha Lowe.
