Baseball

FIGUEROA NAMED NATYCAA SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

FIGUEROA NAMED NATYCAA SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Posted: May 18, 2023

Centerville, IA – Sophomore Daniel Figueroa (Toa Alta, Puerto Rico/Leadership Christian Academy) of the Indian Hills Baseball squad has been named the 2023 National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) Male Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Figueroa becomes the first Indian Hills student-athlete to win the prestigious NATYCAA Male Scholar Athlete of the Year. Along with his recognition as the top scholar athlete among all junior colleges across the nation, Figueroa was also named to the 2023 NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Team, one of just 14 individuals across the nation to be recognized.

Indian Hills Baseball Head Coach Matthew Torrez noted Figueroa's exceptional work ethic and leadership abilities that led to the recognition. "The impressive thing about Daniel is that English is his second language, so his first semester on campus he had to work really hard to translate his academics from one language to the next. That's one of the most impressive things about him is that he worked diligently to make sure that he can do the things that he does in the classroom."

Figueroa owns a two-year 4.0 cumulative GPA while at Indian Hills and was selected to the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa All-Iowa Academic Team. Throughout his time in Centerville, Figueroa has been named to the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) All-Academic team three times and was selected to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Academic First-Team for the 2021-22 season.

While Figueroa has excelled as a member of the Warrior baseball team, his leadership abilities off the field have set him apart. Figueroa has taken part in a number of community service initiatives over the past two seasons in Centerville, including Operation Santa. Figueroa has also served an integral mentorship role on campus, guiding new international students to help them acclimate to life and academics at Indian Hills.

"Daniel works hard on the baseball field, but he also works hard to mentor our international students to make sure they feel comfortable here at Indian Hills. The leadership qualities of Daniel and the things that he's done over the past two years here is really program changing and life changing for the kids that he has mentored."

A two-time NJCAA All-Region 11 First-Team selection for his play on the field, Figueroa became the school's all-time stolen base leader and owns two of the top three single season stolen base marks in program history. Figueroa has served as the team's primary leadoff batter and centerfielder over the past two seasons, Figueroa has started in 104 of a possible 108 games, including all 54 games as a sophomore. Figueroa owns a lifetime .349 batting average and ranks fifth all-time in school history with 118 career runs scored.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT FIGUEROA…

"Daniel is a very organized, self-disciplined, kind, and a very hard-working student. Daniel strives to do his very best in every class. He has proven that he is a dedicated student in and out of the classroom."

  • Patricia Babbitt, Indian Hills Mathematics Instructor

 "When Daniel first came to Indian Hills, Daniel had limited English skills. His discipline led him to quickly become fluent, and he has been an unofficial interpreter and excellent mentor for new students in our English as a Second Language Program. An Academic All-American, Daniel was one of four Phi Theta Kappa All-Region Scholars for the Centerville Campus at Indian Hills Community College. He has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. Figgy, as he is known to his fans, is an outstanding ambassador for Warrior Baseball, and the Indian Hills Centerville Campus."

  •  Noël Gorden, Executive Dean, Indian Hills Centerville Campus

"Daniel has been the definition of a student first. He has set the bar for his teammates and other student-athletes by maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout his academic career. Throughout his time at Indian Hills, Daniel has proven himself to not only be a model student-athlete, but also a positive leader and representative of our department on campus and in the community."

  • Dr. Brett Monaghan, Indian Hills Vice President of Student Development & Operations and Athletic Director

Figueroa is joined by Savannah Wahl of Butte College (CA) who was recognized as the 2023 NATYCAA Female Scholar Athlete of the Year. Both individuals will be recognized at the upcoming NATYCAA Convention, June 11-14 at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida. 

" The 2023 NATYCAA Scholar-Athlete Committee had the pleasure of reviewing several nominations who were all much more than just athletes," says Brian Henderson, Assistant Vice-President for Student Engagement and Inclusion and Athletic Director of Patrick & Henry Community College. "While once again it was an extremely tough challenge of choosing between many deserving candidates, the two student-athletes chosen had statistics that showed not just what they did in their sport, but also how they have positively impacted their communities. Savannah and Daniel are not just winners on the field, but more importantly, off of the field. We are honored to have them both represent us this year and as a model for future winners to come. Congratulations Savannah and Daniel!"

At the NATYCAA Convention, Figueroa will serve as one of four individuals on the NATYCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Panel Discussion.

About NATYCAA: Now in its 35th year, NATYCAA is the professional organization of two-year college athletics administrators and membership open to all two-year institutions from throughout the country. NATYCAA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 58th year. For more information on NACDA and the 18 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.