CSU's Grove, Loyola's Morote-Ariza Honored as U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month

Nov. 7, 2008

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State University junior men's swimmer Stephen Grove and Loyola University Chicago junior women's soccer player Cynthia Morote-Ariza have been named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month for October, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Friday (Nov. 7).


Grove (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) enjoyed an outstanding start to the swimming season, tallying one individual title, two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes Oct. 3 at the Notre Dame Dennis Start Relays. He then won three events in a dual meet at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Oct. 25, including the 50-freestyle and two relays. Grove then concluded October with two wins and a second-place finish in a dual meet Oct. 31 against Canisius College.


As an engineering major, Grove carries a 3.88 grade-point average at Cleveland State.


Morote-Ariza (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius) turned in a stellar October, leading Loyola to a 7-1 record during the month with eight goals and six assists as the Ramblers earned a share of the Horizon League regular-season title and the top seed in the conference championship. She was named the League's Player of the Year for the second consecutive season last week as she set at Loyola record with an NCAA-leading 19 assists to go along with 47 points.


In the classroom, Morote-Ariza maintains a 3.45 grade-point average as a psychology major at Loyola. She was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team last month for the second year in a row and is now a candidate for Academic All-America honors.


The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Month awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MEN'S NOMINEES:
Will Martin, Loyola (soccer, sophomore, 4.0 biology)
David Prochazka, Green Bay (soccer, sophomore, 3.66, business administration)

OTHER WOMEN'S NOMINEES:
Megan Elfering, Green Bay (volleyball, senior, 3.395, elementary education & human development)
Molly Kruger, Butler (soccer, junior, 3.401, speech)
Kayla Lefeld, Cleveland State (volleyball, junior, 3.78, middle childhood education/math and science)
Allison Sears, Valparaiso (volleyball, senior, 3.882, elementary education)