UCI recognizes scholar-athletes

Track hurdler Jacob Yowell and women's water polo player Katie Croghan were awarded the UCI Academic Achievement Award by the UCI admissions office.

Women's tennis player Stephanie Hammel received the Athletics Leadership Award.

The women's golf team earned the Faculty Athletic Representative Award for highest team GPA.

UCI also honored student-athletes with Class Performance Awards. They are: Cami Privette, the Big West Freshman of the Year in women's soccer (Outstanding Freshman Performance); Jillian Yocum, women's water polo (second in NCAA Tournament saves); Will Davis, men's basketball (set school single-game and single-season blocked shots records).

The Outstanding Sophomore Performance went to Natalie Ledezma, first-team all-conference in women's soccer; Andrew Thurman, first-team all-conference in baseball; and Mitch Wise, third-team All-American in men's water polo.

Outstanding Junior Performance honorees were: Jessy Cardey, Big West Player of the Year in women's water polo; Ericka Nowell, Big West champion in the 400 hurdles in track and field; and Kevin Tillie, first-team All-American for the men's volleyball national champion.

Outstanding Senior Performance award winners were: CoCo Goodson, second-team All-American in women's soccer; Carson Clark, first-team All-American in men's volleyball; Miguel Ibarra, first-team All-American in men's soccer; and Jock, the Big West Track Athlete of the Year.

2011-12 scholar-athletes are:

Baseball: Ryan Cooper, D.J. Crumlich, Jordan Fox, Andy Lines, Jimmy Litchfield, Dillon Moyer, Jonathan Munoz, Ronnie Shaeffer, Crosby Slaught, Taylor Sparks, Connor Spencer, Mark Trentacosta and Matt Whitehouse.

Men's basketball: Adam Folker.

Men's cross country: Brennen Halliday, Ryan McMonigle and Trevor Smith.

Men's golf: Mickey Chan and Pete Fernandez.

Men's soccer: Bryan Breslin, Victor Calderon, Jake Marcon, Dennis Martinez and Norby Rodriguez.

Men's tennis: Mika DeCoster and Eric Gast.

Men's track and field: Stephen Brown, Alvin Cheng, Tommy Hamm, Mike Kennedy, Riley Martin and Trevor Wightman.

Men's volleyball: Ian Castellana, Jeremy Dejno, Connor Hughes, Dan McDonnell and Will Montgomery.

Men's water polo: Bo de Lange, Sam Figueroa, Jimmy Friedrich, Derrik Jarvis, Alex Kazmier, Kyle Kittlitz, Winston Newland, Nick Pfeil, Brian Pickford and Alan Robertson.

Women's basketball: Cheyenne Cathey and Lauren Spinazze.