Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Victors Celebration

Student-Athletes Honored at Annual Victors Celebration

5/11/2022 2:08:00 PM | Cross Country, Football, General, Men's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Softball, Track and Field, Women's Basketball, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball, Wrestling, Swimming and Diving

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BUFFALO, NY – UB Athletics held its annual Victors award show on Tuesday night. The event honors the academic and athletic success of UB student-athletes.

The top award of Male and Female Athlete of the Year went to Brandon Burke of track & field and Marcy Barberic of soccer, respectively. A high jumper, Burke earned All-American honors at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and was the MAC Champion in the high jump at the 2022 MAC Indoor MAC Championships. Barberic was a standout on the pitch, recording 10 goals and five assists and earning first-team All-MAC honors.

The Team of the Year Award went to women's basketball for their 2022 MAC title and trip to the NCAA Tournament.

The Individual Moment of the Year was awarded to men's basketball's Jeenathan Williams and diving's Victoria Franz. Williams scored 32 points at Michigan in the Bulls' season opener. Franz won both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at the 2022 MAC Championships.

The Newcomer of the Year was awarded to wrestling's Jay Nivison and swimming & diving's Marialis Kwak. Nivison finished second at the MAC Championships to qualify for the NCAA Championships. Kwak was the MAC Freshman Diver of the Year and qualified for the NCAA Diving Zones.

The night also included several academic awards.

The MAC Medal of Excellence was awarded to Pia Schwarz of women's tennis and Caleb Nickens of men's track & field.

The FormidaBULL Scholar Award was given to four student-athletes - football's Gabe Wallace and DeMarco Cuffey, women's basketball's Ramatoulaye Keita and wrestling's Marcus Petite.

Soccer's Katherine Camper was recognized for earning the Clifford C. Furnace Award.

The Chrisy Dickerson Unsung Hero Award was given to Annie Judasz of the soccer team.

Brandon Burke and volleyball's Monika Simkova, respectively, were presented with the Male and Female Ideal Bull Award.

In addition, it was announced that a new award, the One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award, will be presented at the Victors moving forward. Named in honor of Simkova, who displayed amazing courage in the face of significant adversity, The One4Mon Courageous Student-Athlete Award will be chosen annually from nominees who have shown courage in the face of significant adversity and persevered, inspiring those around them to strive for excellence regardless of the circumstances around them.