LA JOLLA, Calif. – Despite being spread across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, University of California San Diego scholar-athletes were celebrated and recognized by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics with the department's annual awards, revealed Thursday on @ucsdtritons social media platforms.

Triton scholar-athletes were recognized for their achievements during the 2019-20 academic year in athletic competitions, in the classroom, and in serving their community.

"I am extremely proud of all of the accomplishments of our scholar-athletes," said UC San Diego Director of Athletics Earl W. Edwards. "Their resiliency has become more apparent during this trying time, and we are grateful for their hard work in competition and dedication through a most challenging circumstance."

In an abbreviated competitive season, nine fall or winter UC San Diego teams qualified for, or competed in, NCAA championships. When the NCAA halted competition on March 12, nine winter or spring programs were ranked in the top 20 nationally in their sport. Although the team was unable to complete its NCAA championship, sophomore Spencer Daily captured a national championship in the 50 free.

With the abrupt conclusion to the season, the Tritons' Division II era has come to a close. Beginning next month, UC San Diego Athletics begins a four-year reclassification period to NCAA Division I status as a full member of the Big West Conference in a majority of its sports.

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Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athletes
Sreeganesh Manoharan, Men's Tennis
Natalie Saddic, Women's Soccer

Athletes of the Year
Becky Chou, Women's Tennis
Claudia Cox, Track & Field
Spencer Daily, Swimming & Diving
Ciara Franke, Women's Water Polo and Swim and Dive
Amelia Harrison, Fencing
Hayden Hui, Golf
Aren Johnson, Cross Country
Brett Jones, Men's Soccer
Ziad Khayat, Fencing
Juni Kim, Women's Rowing
Devin Lecakes-Jones, Track & Field
Julia Macabuhay, Women's Basketball
Sreeganesh Manoharan, Men's Tennis
Kyle McCauley, Men's Volleyball
Skyler Munatones, Men's Water Polo
Taylor Onstott, Women's Water Polo
Christian Oshita, Men's Basketball
Kenneth Padden, Men's Rowing
Angelica Ramos, Women's Soccer
Tina Reuter, Swimming & Diving
Jessica Rieble, Women's Volleyball
Tyrell Roberts, Men's Basketball
Samantha Rocke, Cross Country
Natalie Saddic, Women's Soccer
Connor Walbrecht, Men's Volleyball
Robyn Wampler, Softball
Brandon Weed, Baseball

Karen E. Reis Award
(leadership/campus and community service)
Claudia Cox, Track & FIeld

Léon T. Roach Team Spirit Award
Softball

Team GPA Award
(highest team GPA)
Women's Soccer

Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete Award
(top six GPAs among seniors)
Emily Beihold, Fencing
Sawyer Farmer, Swimming & Diving
Alexandre Leonelli, Fencing
Alyson Penrose, Women's Volleyball
Mikaila Reyes, Softball
Marius Ruh, Men's Tennis

CCAA Charnofsky Award
(academic and athletic distinction)
Scott Everman, Men's Basketball
Mikaila Reyes, Softball

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program begins a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I.  The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide more than 1,300 scholar-athletes to All-America honors.  A total of 82 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships.  UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.