NJCAA Alumni Win NCAA Fall Postseason Awards
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – As the fall college athletics season ends, many all-conference, all-region, and national teams of the year have been announced. The NJCAA is proud to have over 80 alumni recognized on NCAA Division I All-Conference teams and multiple former student-athletes who received postseason awards. Across the fall sports of cross country, football, soccer, and volleyball, over 40 NJCAA member schools were represented by student-athletes competing at the next level.
Kaden Wetjen | Iowa Western | University of Iowa | Football
Kaden Wetjen is a nationally renowned return specialist. The Iowa senior is one of three finalists for the Jet Award which honors the most outstanding return specialist in college football. He was also a semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy which is awarded to the most outstanding FBS football player who began his career as a walk-on. Wetjen received All-American honors from USA Today. 
The Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year and member of the All-BIG TEN Special Teams First Team, Wetjen is among the best statistically in the country. In 2024, Wetjen logged 24 punt returns for 287 yards, averaging 12.0 yards per return. He recorded a career-long punt return of 85 yards and returned one punt for a touchdown. Wetjen tallied 21 kickoff returns for 520 yards, averaging 24.8 yards per return with a long of 39 yards. His 24.8 yards per kickoff return is second-most in the Big Ten and 14th in the country. He leads the Big Ten and the nation with 807 combined kick return yards. Wetjen notched over 100 combined return yards in three consecutive games for the first time in program history since at least 1978.
As a freshman at Iowa Western Community College, Wetjen helped his team to the 2021 NJCAA National Championship game. During the season, Wetjen totaled 952 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. He was named an All-America Honorable Mention and received ICCAC All-Conference honors.
Diego Pavia | New Mexico Military | Vanderbilt | Football
Diego Pavia was a catalyst for Vanderbilt University this season, leading the Commodores to the best season for the program since 2018. Pavia was named the SEC Newcomer of the Year, AP Newcomer of the Year, and USA Today SEC Co-Newcomer of the Year. He was a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award and the Davey O'Brien Award. Pavia won numerous Player of the Week honors during the 2024 season as Vanderbilt earned the first win over a No. 1-ranked team in program history and defeated four Power 4 opponents. 
On the year, Pavia threw for 2,133 yards with 17 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He rushed for 716 yards and six touchdowns. In the Commodores narrow loss to No. 5 Texas, Pavia scored three total touchdowns and recorded a team-high 16 carries for 67 yards. Pavia went 16-for-20 passing for 252 yards and two touchdowns in the victory over No. 1 Alabama. To open the season, Pavia went 12-of-16 passing for 190 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for a game-high 104 yards along with the game-winning score in overtime against Virginia Tech.
Pavia played for New Mexico Military Institute in 2020 and 2021. He won the starting job as a freshman and went on to lead his team to the 2021 NJCAA National Championship title as a sophomore. In 13 games, Pavia threw for 1,728 yards and 21 touchdowns along with 658 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Jimmori Robinson | Dodge City & Monroe University | UTSA | Football
Jimmori Robinson etched his name in the University of Texas at San Antonio football record books. During his time with the Roadrunners, Robinson recorded 15 sacks and 30 tackles for loss which rank third and fourth in school history, respectively. In 2024, the outside linebacker registered 43 tackles, including 27 solo stops, 17 tackles for loss (TFLs), 10.5 sacks, eight quarterback hurries, two pass break ups, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick. His 17 TFLs rank fourth on UTSA's single season list, just one behind the program record of 18. Robinson's 10.5 sacks are tied for second-most in a single season for the Roadrunners. Nationally, Robinson ranks sixth in FBS with 1.4 TFLs per game and ranks ninth in RBS with 0.88 sacks per game. 
Robinson earned Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week and American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week after breaking UTSA's single-game record with 5.5 TFLs and tying the sacks mark with four in the Roadrunners' win over Temple. Robinson helped his team break the program's single-season TFL record in back-to-back years. Selected as the American Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Year, Robinson also earned All-American Athletic Conference First Team honors.
In 2019, Robinson played for Dodge City Community College and recorded 20 tackles, including 10 TFLs. He transferred to Monroe University where the Mustangs did not hold a 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travion Barnes | Georgia Military | Florida International University | Football
Joining Florida International University's (FIU) football program in 2024, Travion Barnes was predicted to make a big impact from the start, and he did. Barnes was named to the All-Conference USA Preseason Fourth Team in July. Fast forward to December and Barnes was selected as the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Conference USA First Team. 
Barnes recorded 129 tackles, including 59 solo stops, three sacks, 10.5 TFLs, one fumble recovery, and two interceptions. He returned one interception 85 yards for a touchdown. Barnes' 129 tackles led Conference USA and ranked third in FBS. That mark is also the second highest single season total in FIU history. Barnes received two Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honors during the season.
In 2023, Barnes was named to the NJCAA Football All-America First Team Defense. The linebacker led NJCAA Division I Football in tackles with 124 total. He registered 91 solo stops, four sacks, and 12.5 TFLs in addition to three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and five pass break-ups.
Malcolm Gillie | Ellsworth | Ball State University | Football 
A 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown highlighted Malcolm Gillie's senior season at Ball State University. Gillie was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year and landed a spot on the All-MAC First Team. Gillie totaled 589 return yards and averaged 25.6 yards per kickoff return which led the MAC and ranked 11th in FBS. Additionally, Gillie logged 267 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
At Ellsworth Community College, Gillie was a two-time First Team All-Conference and All-Region selection. He recorded 525 yards and five touchdowns for the Panthers.
Taimu Okiyoshi | Salt Lake | Marshall University | Men's Soccer 
A semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, Taimu Okiyoshi led the Marshall University Thundering Herd to the NCAA Division I National Championship. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most coveted individual honor in NCAA Division I soccer and has been awarded annually since 1967 by the Missouri Athletic Club. As a fifth-year, Okiyoshi was the only Marshall player to start all 24 matches of the regular and postseason. He played a team-high 2,112 minutes and recorded four assists while being named to the All-Sun Belt First Team. Okiyoshi received United Soccer Coaches All-American honors for the second year in a row.
While at Salt Lake Community College, Okiyoshi also received United Soccer Coaches All-American recognition after leading the Bruins to the 2021 NJCAA National Championship title.
Isabella Costantini | Tyler | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Women's Volleyball 
Isabella Costantini was a game-changer for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball team in 2024. The sophomore was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and Setter of the Year along with a First Team All-Southland Conference designation. During the season, Costantini received five Southland Conference Setter of the Week awards.
Costantini played and started all 28 matches for UTRGV. She led the team in assists (1,111), assists per set (11.34), and service aces (44). Costantini finished second in the Southland in assists and first in aces. Her 66 assists on October 8 are the second-most in a single match in the Southland this season. Costantini recorded 13 double-doubles this year.
As a freshman at Tyler Junior College, Costantini earned All-Region XIV Second Team honors and ranked in the top 10 in NJCAA Division I volleyball in aces (72).
Gudisa Adnow | Fort Scott | Sam Houston State University | Men's Cross Country 
Representing Sam Houston State University, Gudisa Adnow received the Outstanding Senior Award at the Conference USA Men's Cross Country Championships. Finishing with a time of 24:07.04 in the 8k, Adnow placed fifth and garnered All-Conference USA First Team honors. Adnow then led his team at the NCAA South Central Regional with a 10k time of 30:02.7 and was named to the NCAA South Central All-Region Team.
Adnow earned a spot on the NJCAA Honorable Mention All-America Team in 2020 while running for Fort Scott Community College. He finished 15th at the NJCAA National Championship.
