Lynn University Fighting Knights

BOCA RATON, Fla.—Lynn University’s athletic department honored a total of 33 student athletes with Harald Gracholski and Eleonora Iannozzi receiving Lynn’s top honor of Blue & White Athlete of the Year at the first annual Student-Athlete Recognition Awards Show on Thursday.

Other top honors included a male and female Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Mr. and Mrs. Fighting Knight. Pascal Schuler from the men’s basketball team and Melissa Ortiz of the women’s soccer team were named the Lynn Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Another men’s basketballer, Michael Woo, received the honor of Mr. Fighting Knight and volleyball’s Kara Bailey and women’s basketball’s Marquis Lee claimed co-Mrs. Fighting Knight honors.

The athletic department also gave out specific awards of: Newcomer of the Year, Play of the Year, Best Game Performance, and Best Championship Performance.

Newcomer of the Year went to Vlad Cirla of the men’s tennis team after finishing his freshman year as the No. 14 singles player and the fourth-ranked doubles player in the nation.

Ortiz took home play of the year from a game winning midfield shot versus Tampa, while Daniel Young of the men’s golf team claimed best game performance after shooting a seven-under, 65 in the final round of the Golfweek Invitational.

Finally, Best Championship Performance went to Elenora Iannozzi from women’s tennis from going 6-0 in singles and defeating five top-40 opponents throughout the women’s tennis run to a national runner-up finish.

The event took place the Lynn University’s Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center and started with a salute to Lynn’s 34 seniors and ended with the honoring of Gracholsski and Iannozzi as the Blue & White Athletes of the Year. 

Individual sports award winners can be seen below.