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TOP STORIES OF 2015
6. CNMI athletes move and excel in collegiate ranks
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- Del Rosario
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- Dickinson
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- Jones
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- Kim
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- Minor
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- Rabauliman
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- Taisacan
Several CNMI athletes made it to their collegiate teams in 2015.
Enrico Del Rosario, who suited up for the CNMI men’s national and youth teams in the past, signed up for Alderson Broaddus University’s football team competing in the NCAA Division II. Two more former CNMI national football squad members—John Taisacan and Ethan Dickinson—are also trying to start their collegiate career after red-shirting for Louisiana State University-Alexandria and College of the Desert in California, respectively.
In tennis, Thea Minor will also suit up for an NCAA Division II school (Henderson State University) after an impressive debut with the New Mexico Military Institute in the NJCAA Division 1. Tammy Ackerman, who is now based in Thailand, still represented the CNMI in off-island competitions and played for Pacific Oceania that ruled the 2015 Junior Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Pre Qualifying in Kuching, Malaysia.
Saipan Little League product Jeremy Rabauliman earned a regular spot on Lower Columbia College Red Devils’s roster and hopes to follow the footsteps of Joshua Jones, who is now playing with the University of West Alabama in NCAA Division II. Jones helped the Tigers win the Gulf South Conference Baseball Tournament.
Just like Jones, golfer Leina Kim and American football player Savali Talalemotu played significant roles in their collegiate teams’ campaign.
Kim, who played for the Colorado State University-Pueblo and won the Golfer of the Year award in their conference three times, advanced to the nationals in her last season with the Thunderwolves.
Talalemotu, on the other hand, had his most memorable game so far with the Portland State University when he sacked Washington State University quarterback Luke Falk in the Vikings 24-17 upset of the Cougars.
