Leibold, Morote-Ariza Receive Scholar-Athlete of the Week Award
Nov. 13, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS -- -
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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee junior Robby Leibold (men's swimming) and Loyola University sophomore Cynthia Morote-Ariza (women's soccer) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (Nov. 13).
Continuing his impressive start to the season, Leibold won the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:19.92) and the 500-yard freestyle (4:42.26) in a double-dual against University of Illinois at Chicago and North Dakota. He also earned third-place in the 200-yard butterfly (1:55.67). Leibold now has nine wins in 14 races this season.
Leibold maintains a 3.845 grade-point average as a health sciences major. He has received the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete award three times in his career, and was a member of the Academic All-League Team last year. He also has been named to the Horizon League Honor Roll, the Dean's List at Milwaukee, and as the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Month in October.
Morote-Ariza was named the Horizon League Women's Soccer Player of the Year, as well as the Most Valuable Player of the Championship Tournament last weekend. Her two assists in the title match against Milwaukee helped Loyola win the team title and a trip to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament. Morote-Ariza increased her Loyola single-season record for points to 43.
Academically, Morote-Ariza earns a 3.40 grade-point average as a clinical psychology major. She helped her team receive the NSCAA Academic Award in 2006, and was an ESPN The Magazine All-District V selection last year.The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week 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 and 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 MALE NOMINEES:
A.J. Graves, Butler (basketball, senior, 3.349, math) helped lead Butler to a season-opening 61-45 victory at Ball State, as he finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists. He played 37 minutes and had just one turnover against the Cardinals, as he hit four of eight shots in the game, including three of six from beyond the three-point arc.
Tom Levin, Loyola (basketball, senior, 3.67, finance) grabbed five rebounds in 11 minutes of action of Loyola's 73-57 victory over LeMoyne on Saturday (Nov. 10). The Ramblers now have won four consecutive season openers.
OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:
Genni Gardner, Butler (cross country, senior, 3.942, communications disorders) placed ninth in the individual competition at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional last weekend. She earned an at-large berth in the 2007 NCAA Cross Country Championships, as she posted a time of 21:15 in the 6K race.
Mel Snyder, Cleveland State (volleyball, senior, 3.81, middle childhood education) helped CSU to a sweep of YSU on Senior Day as she played the final home match of her career. She finished with 60 assists and 10 digs to notch her 10th double-double of the season as she guided the Viking offense to a .243 hitting percentage. She also moved into eighth place on the all-time service ace list at CSU with 123, and is third in all-time assists with 3,836.
Holly Nearman, Milwaukee (cross country, senior, 3.651, journalism and mass communications) earned All-Region honors at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional as she placed 12th in the women's 6K race. It was the highest regional finish by a Panther in the school's Division I history, and she was Milwaukee's top finisher for the 10th-straight meet dating back to last season.
Laura Rolf, Valparaiso (cross country, junior, 3.40, new media- journalism) placed sixth at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional, completing the 6K course in 20:56.62. She qualified for the NCAA Cross Country Championships for the second straight year, and earned All-Region honors for the third consecutive year. Her effort also placed her in the top-ten for the sixth time in as many races this season, and her 13th top-ten in 19 career starts.
PREVIOUS U.S. ARMY SCHOLAR-ATHLETES:
Aug. 28Nina Inic (Butler, volleyball)
Sept. 5Ryan Miller (Green Bay, cross country); Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)
Sept. 11Chris Honig (Valparaiso, cross country); Katarina Hanackova (UIC, volleyball)
Sept. 18Malcolm DeBaun (Loyola, soccer); Betty Slinger (Green Bay, volleyball)
Sept. 25Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer); Sara Hughes (Valparaiso, volleyball)
Oct. 2Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Ani Michl (Valparaiso, soccer)
Oct. 9Zeke Dombrowski (Milwaukee, soccer); Lotte Rasmussen (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 16Kent Wories (Butler, cross country); Amanda Stinson (Green Bay, soccer)
Oct. 23Robby Leibold (Milwaukee, swimming); Alyse Serritella (Loyola, volleyball)
Oct. 30Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)
Nov. 6Steve Grove (Cleveland State, swimming); Beth Steuer (Milwaukee, soccer)
