BY KYLEIGH BARAO- SPORTS EDITOR
LIU Brooklyn’s Promise center recognised 22 student athletes for Student Athlete Appreciation Day on social media Thursday, April 23rd. Each Honoree got a picture with their name printed across it and why they were being honored. These words were featured on a blue background with a yellow medal at the top. The athletes recognized range across the various sports offered at LIU Brooklyn.
“I am so thankful to be working with these incredibly bright, determined, and hard working athletes. I am grateful for what they do in our community. They never cease to amaze me and never fail to make my day!” said Alexis Smith, the academic advisor for student athletes, via instagram.
Junior swim team member, Amanda Peren, received one of these shout-outs, with the praise, “For accomplishing a high level of excellence in their academic while upholding the values of a division 1 athlete.”
Peren said that seeing the post, was really heartwarming. "There’s a lot of stress going on in all of our lives right now so to get such positive and unexpected recognition is really a moral-booster,” she added.
Another honoree was freshmen Julia Zebak from the water polo team, who’s recognition read, “Exemplifies a great passion and love for LIU. She is extremely involved on campus and is extremely dedicated to her academics.”
Although Zebak does not have Instagram, she was able to find out about the honor through her friends and teammates and was able to see it through the LIU Brooklyn Promise’s facebook page.
After finding them, Zebak said, “I went and read through each one and I felt very grateful for the shout-out. It represented exactly how I want to present myself to people and it made me feel honored to have someone notice that. I think they picked amazing people and I’m honored to be held to the same esteem as such amazing student athletes, I’m just pretty excited to be considered alongside them.”
Even though our LIU Brooklyn student athlete community is currently spread across the globe and away from each other thanks to Covid-19, small things such as LIU Brooklyn Promise’s student athlete recognitions remind us that we are all in this together, and that we are all still one LIU family. You can find LIU Brooklyn Promise on Instagram @brooklynliupromise and on Facebook at LIU Promise- Brooklyn.
Other athletes honored are:
Faith Ferraro- Women's Fencing
Miranda Strongman- Volleyball
Masa Zirojevic- Volleyball
Anastasia Scott- Volleyball
Hayley Irvis- Softball
Destyn Harding- Men's Track & Field
Stephanie Esogenwune- Women's Track & Field
Eral Penn- Men's Basketball
Kyleigh Barao- Swimming
Ashtyn Bradley- Men's Basketball
Ryan Weise- Women's Basketball
Shyla Sanford- Women's Basketball
Tyler Karpinecz- Women's Bowling
Emily Collins- Softball
Mackenzie Burnett- Swimming
Maja Uduc- Swimming
Neomie Lacroiz- Swimming
Jeanne Touchette-Mcgowan- Swimming
Madysen D'Angelo- Women's Fencing