Success on the football field is being matched in the classroom for several members of the Feather River College Golden Eagles.
Five Golden Eagles were named to the California Community College Football Coaches Association’s 2025 Academic All-State Team, recognizing student-athletes who earned a grade point average of 3.50 or higher while competing at the community college level.
Leading the way was linebacker Marco Casci, who earned a perfect 4.0 GPA, placing him among just nine football players statewide to achieve the distinction.
Joining Casci on the Academic All-State Team were:
Rylan Lopez, defensive lineman – 3.90 GPA
Aidan Flores, defensive lineman – 3.86 GPA
Kamalei Cua, linebacker – 3.79 GPA
Keith Hayes, defensive back – 3.77 GPA
Justus Nielsen, defensive back – 3.74 GPA
Daniel Cable, running back – 3.68 GPA
Gabriel Forest, offensive lineman – 3.64 GPA
Carlos Lopez, defensive back – 3.58 GPA
Kyle Valdez, wide receiver – 3.53 GPA
In all, 162 student-athletes from California’s community colleges earned Academic All-State honors for the 2025 season by maintaining at least a 3.50 GPA. The recognition highlights student-athletes who have demonstrated excellence both on the gridiron and in the classroom.
The strong showing by Feather River College reflects the Golden Eagles’ commitment to academic achievement alongside athletic success, with 10 players earning statewide recognition—one of the largest groups honored from any California community college football program.
The Academic All-State Team is selected annually by the California Community College Football Coaches Association to recognize football student-athletes who excel academically while balancing the demands of collegiate athletics.
