Swimmer, Volleyball Star Named Scholar-Athletes of the Month for October

Nov. 5, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -- -

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University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee junior Robby Leibold (men's swimming) and Wright State University senior Tara Geegan (volleyball) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month for October, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Monday (Nov. 5).

Leibold has recorded four victories and four second-place finishes in eight races so far this season. He won all three events he swam against MAC Champion Eastern Michigan, winning the 500-yard freestyle, 1000 freestyle, and 200 butterfly, and he has top times on the team this year in those same events. Against Big Ten foe Wisconsin, Leibold won the1000 freestyle while taking second in the 500 freestyle.

Academically, Leibold maintains a 3.845 grade-point average as a health sciences major. He has been recognized as the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week three times in his career, and was named to the All-League Academic swimming team in 2006-2007. He has also been named to the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll, as well as the Dean's List at UWM.

Geegan posted three matches with 10 or more kills during the month of October, helping the Raiders to a 6-3 overall record and a 5-2 League mark. Against Butler, Geegan posted 18 kills with eight total blocks, while she tallied nine blocks and 11 killls at Valparaiso and 12 kills and six blocks at Cleveland State. She racked up 80 kills and 42 blocks in total during nine matches in October.

In the classroom, Geegan excels as she carries a 4.0 grade-point average as an early childhood education major. She has earned High Honors every quarter at Wright State, and was named the 2006 Wright State Quad-Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards in 2006 as a way to supplement recognition of outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. That commitment continued with the addition of the U.S. Scholar-Athlete of the Month awards this fall. 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 month's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MALE NOMINEES:

Stephen Grove, Cleveland State (swimming, sophomore, 3.82, mechanical engineering) helped the Vikings to a 2-0 start this season with wins over Green Bay and Valparaiso. He scored 15 points in the win over Valpo by placing second in the 200 freestyle (1:50.41) and taking part in the winning 400 medley relay team. He also totaled 27 points against Green Bay, winning the 50 freestyle (21.69), the 100 freestyle (47.93) and the 400 medley relay team.

Malcolm DeBaun, Loyola (soccer, sophomore, 3.96, biology) has been a vital cog in a Loyola defense that allowed only one goal in eight October matches. He appeared in six of the Ramblers' eight matches, and helped Loyola clinch its first regular-season League title since 2000. He posted two shots in five starts on defense as Loyola went 6-0-2 in October.

Chris Honig, Valparaiso (cross country, senior, 3.64, history) placed eighth at the Evansville Invitational, helping his team to a third-place finish. He earned Horizon League Athlete of the Week recognition for his performance at Evansville, before going on to the League Championships, where he finished in eighth-place and earned Second Team All-League honors.

Micah Belew, Wright State (swimming, senior, 3.864, biological sciences) helped the Raiders to a perfect 4-0 dual record during the month of October, as each victory was against a Horizon League opponent. He posted one individual win and one relay victory in every meet over the month, as he ranks in the top-three in times in four events for the Raiders.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Mel Snyder, Cleveland State (volleyball, senior, 3.81, middle childhood education) averaged 12.39 assists and 2.39 digs as CSU went 7-2 in October to remain in second-place in the League. She notched three double-doubles in October, and continues to lead the League in assists per game (11.78). She ranks third in all-time assists at CSU with 3,761 and ninth in service aces (120). Snyder has guided CSU to a school-record tying 11 conference wins, and has led the Vikings to just two wins away from reaching 20 victories in a season for the first time since 1988.

Cynthia Morote-Ariza, Loyola (soccer, sophomore, 3.40, clinical psychology) registered 10 goals and a pair of assists to help Loyola to a 7-3 overall mark and a 6-1 League tally during the month of October. She had three multiple-goal outings in October, including a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over CSU, and she scored at least one point in six of the Ramblers' 10 matches. Morote-Ariza became Loyola's single-season record holder with 15 goals and 37 points, and was named the Horizon League Player of the Year.

Leanne Felsing, Milwaukee (volleyball, senior, 3.479, education) led UWM to a perfect 8-0 record during the month of October. She collected six triple-doubles in those eight matches, with her best efforts coming against Loyola where she tallied 20 kills, 15 digs, and 24 assists, and against Cleveland State, where she had 19 kills, 23 digs and 30 assists.

Laura Rolf, Valparaiso (cross country, junior, 3.40, new media- journalism) won both races she raced in during October, extending her winning streak to five consecutive races. She broke her own school record in the 5K at the Evansville Invitational, covering the course in 16:40.33 and winning by nearly 50 seconds. Rolf also earned the Horizon League Individual Championship, where she helped her team to a fourth-place finish.

Jessica Fraley, Youngstown State (volleyball, senior, 3.87, telecommunicaitons) led the Penguins to four straight Horizon League victories, the most in school history, and a win over Big East foe West Virginia for a 5-5 record during October. She averaged 3.61 kills, 2.57 digs, and 4.12 points per game, and posted double figures in kills in nine of 10 matches, as she posted six double-doubles. She tallied at least 20 kills on three occasions and posted 23 kills and 22 digs with five blocks in a four-game victory over Wright State. Her totals included 159 kills, 113 digs, 31 blocks, 11 assists and six aces.