FAIRFAX, VA - Siena Athletics set a record with 12 student athletes honored as 2022 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education magazine, with athletes from eight different athletic teams honored.
 
Seniors Georgia Vargas and Tomas del Olmo were named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars for the third time in their collegiate careers, while juniors Elisabeth Balicanta took home her second award and fifth year Jacob Pacheco, senior Luke Julien, juniors Marvin Oberli, Mark Sojer, and Madoka Weldon and sophomores Emma Boggiali, Shelby Madeiros, Greta Stjade, and Melina Ortiz earned the award for the first time. Vargas was named a Sport Winner for water polo, becoming the program's second-ever Sport Winner and the first from Siena since 2017.
 
Siena saw seven student athletes earn honors in 2021, while a record 11 took home Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar Awards in 2017 & 2016. Now in its 30th year, Diverse first established the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars Award in 1992 to honor undergraduate students of color who exemplify the standards set by the tennis legend. A scholar and an athlete, Ashe sought to expand opportunities for young people.
 
Each year, Diverse invites every post-secondary institution with intercollegiate athletics in the U.S. to submit nominations for their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, students named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence as well as community service. To be eligible to be named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar, diverse student athletes must have reached at least sophomore standing academically, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or better, and be active both on their campus and in their community. This year, over 1,000 student athletes from across the country were nominated.
 
Vargas was selected as the only Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholar to be selected in her sport after putting together an All-Conference season in the pool for Siena Water Polo. The Whittier, California native earned Second Team All-MAAC honors after recording a team-leading 69 goals and two assists for 71 total points. She played in all 29 matches this season, tallying 20 steals and 20 exclusions drawn, as well as 14 hat tricks and three five-goal performances. A 2022 graduate of Siena with a degree in psychology, Vargas held a 3.6 cumulative GPA entering the Spring 2022 semester, and served as the Vice President of Siena's Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).
 
Del Olmo becomes the second ever three-time honoree from Men's Tennis, and does so after putting together a solid campaign that saw his team set the program record for wins and advance to the postseason for the first time since 2010. The St. John, Virgin Islands native went 8-12 in singles play, mostly from the #2 spot, while holding a 9-12 doubles mark mostly from the Saints' top team. He earned his degree in accounting this month while holding a 3.94 cumulative GPA. Del Olmo was one of Siena's Student Athlete Mentors (SAM), and was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team, MAAC Academic Honor Roll, and as an ITA All-Academic Scholar during his collegiate career.
 
Honored for the second straight year on the First Team, Balicanta completed her third year as a member of the Siena Swimming & Diving program this season, competing in freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly events throughout the year. She was on the 200 free relay team that placed first at the Blue Devil Invite last December, and swam personal bests in the 100 back and 200 back at the 2022 MAAC Championship. Balicanta holds a 3.88 cumulative GPA as a communications major, and put forth a perfect 4.0 mark during the Fall 2021 semester.

A member of the First Team for women's tennis, Boggiali held a 3-3 singles record playing in spots 2-4 and a 5-12 doubles mark while helping her team once again qualify for the MAAC Tournament. The Rome, Italy native was selected as the Siena Female Rookie of the Year for the 2020-21 season, and has been selected to both the MAAC All-Academic Team and MAAC Academic Honor Roll. She holds a 3.92 cumulative GPA as a business major, and has also been recognized as an ITA All-Academic Scholar.
 
One of only seven men's lacrosse student athletes honored and the first men's lacrosse athlete from Siena to be honored since 2017, Julien put forth his most productive season in 2022, scoring 10 goals and adding 18 assists for 28 total points on 35 shots. The Loudonville, New York native also picked up 10 ground balls and recorded a point in all but two games on the year. Julien graduated with a degree in finance in the spring while holding a 3.55 cumulative GPA, and was named to the MAAC All-Academic Team and MAAC Academic Honor Roll while at Siena.
 
A Third Team selection and part of Siena's first women's tennis honorees since 2018, Madeiros competed for the Saints in #3 and #6 singles play, while holding a 2-4 doubles mark at the #3 spot. The Paget, Bermuda native holds a 3.60 cumulative GPA in psychology, and has been named to the MAAC Academic Honor Roll and the MAAC All-Academic Team. She is also a member of the Siena SAAC chapter.
 
Another member of both Siena SAAC and Men's Tennis, Oberli saw action in two matches this season, including at Brown on January 30 and at St. Bonaventure on March 6. The Zurich, Switzerland native holds a 3.93 cumulative GPA in accounting and has been on the MAAC All-Academic Team, MAAC Academic Honor Roll, and an ITA All-Academic Scholar.
 
A First Team selection who is representing Siena Women's Soccer as a Scholar for the first time since 2018, Ortiz emerged as a starter on the Saints' back line this past season, starting 17 of 19 matches played and scoring her first collegiate goal against Lehigh on August 29. The Waverly, New York native totaled 1343 minutes with five shots to her name. Ortiz holds a perfect 4.0 GPA as a political science major, and has been a member of the MAAC All-Academic Team and MAAC Academic Honor Roll, as well as the Siena 4.0 Club and President's List.
 
A Second Team selection, Pacheco served as a team captain for Siena Men's Soccer and was a three-year member of the program. The Taos, New Mexico native started 14 of 18 matches played on the back line, while notching four goals and an assist on eight shots. A member of both the MAAC All-Academic Team and MAAC Academic Honor Roll in each of the last two seasons, Pacheco earned his Bachelor's degree in mathematics in 2021 and gained an MBA this year while holding a 3.53 cumulative GPA.
 
A member of the First Team for Men's Soccer, Sojer made seven appearances and one start for the Saints this year, and has played in 32 career matches. His lone collegiate goal came during the Spring 2021 campaign, while he notched an assist in 2019. The Ljublijana, Slovenia native holds a 3.69 cumulative GPA in marketing, and has been a member of both the MAAC All-Academic Team and MAAC Academic Honor Roll.
 
Making up one half of Siena's first Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars in Volleyball since 2018, Stjade played in 28 matches for the Saints this past season as an outside hitter, registering 175 kills and 230 digs. The Riga, Latvia native was a First Team selection while holding a 4.0 GPA in business and making the MAAC Academic Honor Roll and MAAC All-Academic Team, as well as the 4.0 Club and President's List.
 
A Third Team selection and a Siena SAAC member, Weldon saw action in 16 matches as a libero this past season, registering 73 digs over 50 sets played. The Allen, Texas product holds a 3.72 cumulative GPA in history, and has made the MAAC All-Academic Team and MAAC Academic Honor Roll.
 
 A total of 88 Siena student athletes have now been honored as Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars since 2007.