LOUDONVILLE, NY – Representatives from Siena's women's tennis & swimming programs were honored as the Leo Dufort Student Athletes of the Month for January 2019, the athletic department announced Wednesday morning. Seniors Anessa Leyva and Julianna Sebastian each received the award after excelling both in the competition field in the classroom this year.

Serving as a team captain throughout the 2018-19 season, Leyva has picked up three singles and a doubles win this year, playing as the no. 3 or 4 singles competitor and occasionally on a doubles pair during the Saints' eight events thus far. Helping the team to a 4-2 dual match record, Siena was picked to finish second the in the 2019 MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll. The Clewiston, FL native was one half of a doubles one team that took home Second Team All-MAAC honors last season.

A member of the MAAC All-Academic Team last year, Leyva holds a 3.23 cumulative GPA, and is set to graduate in May with a degree in psychology. Leyva is a member of Siena's Student Athlete Mentors (SAM) organization.

A four-year member of the swim team, Sebastian has competed in all 10 of the team's events during the 2018-19 season. A bronze medalist in the 200-yard butterfly in last year's MAAC Championships, she holds the team's top time in the race so far this year (2:06.98) and set a pair of personal best times at the 2018 ECAC Winter Championships, doing so in the 100-yard butterfly (59.27) and the 200-yard fly.

A MAAC All-Academic Team selection in each of the last two years and a three-year MAAC Academic Honor Roll member, Sebastian holds a 3.86 cumulative GPA, and will receive a bachelor's degree in English in May.

The Leo Dufort Student Athlete of the Month Award is presented nine times annually (September-May) throughout the academic year. The award recognizes exemplary achievements in both academics and athletics. The late Leo Dufort received a B.S. in marketing and management from Siena in August of 1977. His entire academic career was completed on a part-time basis beginning in the spring of 1961, as a married adult while at the same time raising five children. He passed away suddenly of a heart attack while cross country skiing in February of 1993. His wife Jeanine wanted to do something to immortalize his memory. The original plaque was donated to athletics and the department began the Leo Dufort Student Athlete of the Month Award to help carry out his legacy. Dufort graduated from Catholic Central High School in 1954 and was a Navy Veteran (USS Bennington) who worked for JL Hammett Co. at the time of his death.