IRVINE, Calif. – Former Tritons
Gabe Avillion and
Sherriah Harrington have been recognized as two of the 22 Scholar-Athletes of the Year by The Big West for 2021. Two student-athletes from each institution – one male and one female – were honored by their institutions and the conference for their accomplishments on the field, in the classroom and in their communities.
Gabe Avillion joins Long Beach State's Lena Kotanchyan as a two-time Big West Scholar-Athlete of the Year honoree. He was a member of the Triton's volleyball team that upset eventual National Champion Hawaii in last year's Outrigger Big West Men's Volleyball Championship presented by the Hawaiian Islands. He is also the President of the Triton Athletes' Council. He is currently a graduate student and and is interested in pursuing a career in the biomedical field upon graduation.
While serving as team captain,
Sherriah Harrington led her team in total bases, RBI and doubles last season and earned All-Big West Honorable Mention accolades in the process. She was named UC San Diego's Most Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete and was an NCAA Woman of the Year Award nominee. After graduation, she plans to become a doctor.
The stories and accomplishments of these outstanding scholar-athletes will be featured on ESPN+ beginning on Monday, April 4, 2022. The Big West Academic Honors returns for a second year on ESPN+ to herald these exceptional scholar-athletes and their contributions to academics, athletics and service.
The show premieres at Noon PT/9 a.m. HT. All programs aired on ESPN networks are available on the ESPN App, accessible on computers, smartphones, tablets and connected devices to fans who receive their video subscription through an authenticated provider.
Facts on The Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year:
- The 22 honorees hail from four different states and five foreign countries on three continents.
- Athletically, the group includes Big West MVP's, All-Americans, a national Player of the Year, Olympic hopefuls and top professional draft picks.
- Fourteen of the 18 Big West sports are represented.
- The group has a collective GPA is 3.65.
The Big West Scholar-Athletes of the Year represent nearly 2,100 Big West student-athletes made the Commissioner's Honor Roll, which requires a 3.0 GPA or better. Nearly half of those on the Honor Roll had a 3.5 GPA or better.
