IRVINE, Calif. – Volleyball player
Gabe Avillion and water polo standout
Ciara Franke from the University of California San Diego have been honored as 2020 Big West Conference Scholar-Athletes of the Year. The league announced its annual selections Tuesday.
The conference recognized 22 student-athletes, one male and one female from each of its 11 institutions. The award acknowledges their accomplishments on the field, in the classroom, and in their communities.
On Wednesday, these exemplary scholar-athletes will be featured in the Big West Academic honors, a half hour show on ESPN3, which will highlight the exploits of both current and former student-athletes who push the boundaries of being a Scholar-Athlete. The show will begin airing at noon PT on March 3. ESPN3 is accessible on computers, smart phones, tablets, and streaming devices through the ESPN app and ESPN.com.
Some details on the 2020 Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year:
• The 22 honorees hail from five different states and four foreign countries on three continents
• Nine graduate students and 13 undergrads are represented
• Interests run the gamut from engineering and economics to neurobiology and creative writing
• The group's collective GPA is 3.7
• Thirteen of 18 Big West sponsored sports are represented
A record 2,300+ student-athletes earned Big West All-Academic honors during the 2019-20 season. To qualify, student-athletes must maintain a 3.0 GPA and play in 50 percent of their team's games.
GABE AVILLION
Senior Middle Blocker
Biochemistry/Cell Biology
State College, Pa./Central Dauphin HS
A middle blocker for UC San Diego's men's volleyball team, Avillion was a part of the 2020 squad that was ranked as high as sixth nationally, the highest ranking in program history. Avillion posted career-highs in points, kills, and blocks in a match against No. 13 Concordia. A biochemistry and cellular biology major, Avillion was named President of the Triton Athletes' Council (TAC) in 2021 and is looking forward to bringing more student-athletes opportunities on and off the court.
CIARA FRANKE
Senior Center
Human Developmental Sciences
San Diego/La Jolla HS
A center for the UC San Diego women's water polo team, Franke led the Tritons with 38 goals during the 2020 season, which included a game-winning goal against Cal in one of the biggest upsets in school history. Franke was also named to the ACWPC Division I All-American Third Team in 2020 and received Big West Player of the Week honors once. A human developmental sciences major, Franke is hoping to continue her playing career after graduating, but is also considering professional opportunities outside of the pool as she continues her studies through a graduate program at UC San Diego.
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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 has begun a new era 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 II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have garnered 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. For more information on the Tritons, visit UCSDTritons.com or follow UC San Diego Athletics on social media @UCSDtritons.
Return To Sport…Safely
In order for UC San Diego scholar-athletes to be permitted to return to training and competition safely and within federal, state, local, and university guidelines, the athletic department implemented a number of measures designed to complement and enhance the university's highly-successful Return To Learn program. Notable actions include being physically distanced when practical, including during out-of-season training sessions; wearing masks, except when undergoing physically strenuous exercise; and maintaining proper hygiene. Athletes, coaches, and staff are testing at a higher frequency than the campus population, teams adhere to CDC, NCAA, and Big West Conference guidelines, and department officials participate in regular meetings with conference and university-affiliated physicians and the UC San Diego emergency operations staff.
