MIAMI – Barry University women's tennis player Emma Onila was named Female Athlete of the Year for the second straight year at the Athletic Awards Banquet Monday night at Jungle Island.
Onila, a junior from Bucharest, Romania, who is 9-0 in singles and ranked No. 3 in the country, shared last year's award. She is 11-1 in doubles with partner Linda Fritschken and ranked No. 3 in the nation.
Junior men's basketball player Yunio Barrueta, of Miami, was named Male Athlete of the Year. An honorable mention All-American, Barrueta averaged a team-high 18.7 points and 9.7 rebounds. His 14 double-doubles ranked 14th in the nation.
Junior volleyball player Laine Cielena, a native of Krimuldas Novads, Latvia, was named the Professor Emerita Neill Miller Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Cielena carries a 3.977 grade point average in finance. She had 129 kills and 71 blocks this season as the Bucs went 17-12.
Senior men's soccer player Nico Gercke, of Wahrenholz,Germany, was named the Professor Emerita Neill Miller Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Gercke has a 4.0 GPA in management. He led the Buccaneers with eight goals and 17 points, and had one game-winner.
Barry Athletics Administration graduate assistant Monica Iachini and Associate Director of Athletics Jamie Carrig were named co-winners of the Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin Service Award for their contributions to serving the university.
The Bucs softball team is this year's CHAMPS Life Skills winner.
