BULLS NEWS

Aviv Oren

BUFFALO, NY ­ Three University at Buffalo student-athletes were named Arthur Ashe Jr. Sport Scholars by Black Issues in Higher Education Magazine. Men's swimmer Aviv Oren (Rishon Le-Zion, Israel/Makif A') and women's swimmer Jolie Pun (Fonthill, Ontario/E.L. Crossley) were named to the first team for their respective sports, while Turner Battle (Kernersville, NC/East Forsyth) was a second team basketball honoree.

Oren, a sophomore biotechnology major, has a 3.46 cumulative grade point average. He became the Bulls' first Mid-American Conference champion in men's swimming since 1999 with his thrilling victory in the 100 breaststroke at the 2003 MAC Men's Swimming and Diving Championships. Oren was named to the MAC's 2003 men's swimming and diving Academic All-MAC team earlier this year.

Jolie Pun

Pun, a junior chemistry major, has a 3.97 cumulative grade point average. She was part of UB's 800 free relay team which set a school record in 7:38.98 for a fifth-place finish at the 2003 MAC Women's Swimming and Diving Championships. Pun was also named to the MAC's 2003 women's swimming and diving Academic All-MAC team.

Turner Battle

Battle, a sophomore communications major, has a 3.46 cumulative grade point average. He led the Bulls in scoring (12.7 ppg), assists (4.5 apg) and steals (1.9 spg) during the 2002-03 season en route to earning All-MAC Honorable Mention honors. Battle was the only player in the conference to be named to both the All-MAC and Academic All-MAC squads.

The Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars program, named for the late tennis legend, was started 11 years ago by Black Issues to honor "outstanding student-athletes of color from the nation's colleges and universities." Each awardee must have had a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.20, been an active member of an intercollegiate athletics team in 2002-03 and have demonstrated a record of service to his/her university or community.