July 22, 2009

Eleven UCLA student-athletes in six different sports were honored as 2009 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars. The awards are presented by the Diverse: Issues In Higher Education to honor undergraduates of color who have achieved both academically and athletically.

Women's golf was the most represented, with three team members making the list, including first-team honoree and senior Tiffany Joh (3.44 cumulative GPA, History). Making the second-team were sophomores Maria Jose Uribe (3.36, History) and Glory Yang (3.33, Pre-Business Economics).

Gymnastics, women's basketball and women's swimming & diving each had two honorees. A pair of gymnasts were named to the first-team - sophomores Mizuki Sato (3.34, Physiological Science) and Niki Tom (3.28, Physiological Science). In women's basketball, junior Allison Taka (3.72, Sociology) received first-team honors, and junior Erica Tukiainen (3.39, French) received second-team acclaim. Sophomore Lauren Hall (3.41, Undeclared) and senior Marisa Samaniego (3.2, History) represented on the second team for swimming & diving.

Men's track and field junior Marco Anzures (3.4, History) received second-team honors, while women's track and field junior Tori Pena (3.21, International Development) was named to the honorable mention team.

To be included, students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2, and be active on their campuses or in their communities.