Special Events | 3/31/2004 10:42:00 AM

The Barry University Athletic Department celebrated its 20th annual Sports Awards Banquet on Thursday, April 29, 2004, at the Signature Grand in Fort Lauderdale. Awards were presented to athletes from every sport and the athletic department held a special tribute to Barry's retiring president, Sr. Jeanne O'Lauhglin, O.P.

Senior soccer player Avi Scabini was named the Male Athlete-of-the-Year and junior volleyball player Fernanda Brino and senior soccer player Johanna Fischer were named the co-Female Athletes-of-the-Year.

Scabini led the Buccaneers to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, leading the Sunshine State Conference in assists two straight years. He set the Barry record for assists in a season (14) as a junior and broke the mark this season with 16. In just two years, he tied the Barry career assist record. He was named SSC Offensive Player of the Year, 1st-team All-SSC and 3rd-team NSCAA All-America.

Brino led the Buccaneers to the finals of the South Region Tournament, leading the team in kills, service aces and digs per game. She was named SSC Player of the Year after leading Barry to a share of the conference title. She earned 1st-team All-SSC and 1st-team Daktronics All-America.

Fischer became just the first women's soccer player in Barry's storied history to earn All-Region and All-Conference honors for four straight years. She set Barry marks for wins, shutouts and saves as a four-year starter in goal. She lead the Bucs to four straight undefeated league titlesand 31 straight SSC wins.

Tennis swept the Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year category for the second time in two years, with Dirk Benninghaus winning for the men and Greta Trotman taking the women's award.

Benninghaus, a sophomore, is a three-time member of the President's List and carries a 4.0 GPA in sport management. He has been a regular in the Bucs lineup, in both singles and doubles both years. He is 18-14 in singles and 21-16 in doubles.

Trotman, also a sophomore, also carries a 4.0 GPA in history with a minor in art and literature. In two seasons, she is 38-7 in singles and 37-14 in doubles. She has led the Bucs to the NCAA Tournament both seasons, including the NCAA Division II championshp match last year.

The Bucs also honored Sr. Jeanne O'Laughlin, Barry's president for the last 23 years, who is retiring in June. Sr. Jeanne was gifted with a crystal bowl commenorating the special accomplishments of athletics over 20 years, a commenorative Buccaneer jersey (right) and a lifetime pass to all Barry home athletic events.