TicketsCINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics held its annual International Student-Athlete Extravaganza on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The event, put on by The Student-Athlete Development Academy, celebrated and recognized UC's 26 international student-athletes as well as the 19 different countries they represent.
The evening provided the international student-athletes with the opportunity to share fun facts about themselves and their country. They were also able to meet and mingle with other international student-athletes from different teams as well as some of the staff from UC International Services.
The new and returning international student-athletes were welcomed as they each stood up to introduce themselves. Dinner was provided, along with an assortment of desserts from around the world. The evening ended with a friendly, but competitive game of trivia asking interesting facts about each of the countries.
Athletic department staff, coaches and members of International Services staff from campus were all in attendance to meet and show their support for these student-athletes.
Sofia Gkritzali, who is from Thessaloniki, Greece and a member of the women's basketball team, served as the emcee for the event, which took place in the Richard E. Lindner Center.
This year, Canada and Egypt both had the most representatives within UC athletics with three international student-athletes from each of these countries competing for the Bearcats.
UC International Student-Athletes By Sport:
Men's Basketball (2) – Viktor Lahkin (Russia) & Ody Oguama (Nigeria)
Women's Basketball (3) – Jana Abdullah (Egypt), Lojain Elfatairy (Egypt), Sofia Gkritzali (Greece)
Football (3) – Mason Fletcher (Australia), Lorenz Metz (Germany) & Nick Mardner (Canada)
Women's Golf (1) – Olivia McCrystal (Ireland)
Women's Soccer (1) – Alexis Campbell (Canada)
Men's Swimming & Diving (6) – Mohammad Abdelbaky (Egypt), Jet Fuhrmann (Denmark), Calvin Coetzee (South Africa), Ido Gal (Israel), Chris Hamilton-Brown (Denmark), & Murat Sagdullaev (Uzbekistan)
Women's Swimming & Diving (2) – Ella Chown (Great Britain) & Katie Pain (Canada)
Tennis (1) – Sofia Bruno (Italy)
Men's Track and Field (4) – Julius Hild (Germany), Carlos Koussai (Switzerland), Keco Morrison (Jamaica), & Fred Moudani (France)
Women's Track and Field (3) – Renee Sijbesma (Netherlands), Gabi Varisco de Oliveira (Brazil), and Leonie Troeger (Germany)
The evening provided the international student-athletes with the opportunity to share fun facts about themselves and their country. They were also able to meet and mingle with other international student-athletes from different teams as well as some of the staff from UC International Services.
The new and returning international student-athletes were welcomed as they each stood up to introduce themselves. Dinner was provided, along with an assortment of desserts from around the world. The evening ended with a friendly, but competitive game of trivia asking interesting facts about each of the countries.
Athletic department staff, coaches and members of International Services staff from campus were all in attendance to meet and show their support for these student-athletes.
Sofia Gkritzali, who is from Thessaloniki, Greece and a member of the women's basketball team, served as the emcee for the event, which took place in the Richard E. Lindner Center.
This year, Canada and Egypt both had the most representatives within UC athletics with three international student-athletes from each of these countries competing for the Bearcats.
UC International Student-Athletes By Sport:
Men's Basketball (2) – Viktor Lahkin (Russia) & Ody Oguama (Nigeria)
Women's Basketball (3) – Jana Abdullah (Egypt), Lojain Elfatairy (Egypt), Sofia Gkritzali (Greece)
Football (3) – Mason Fletcher (Australia), Lorenz Metz (Germany) & Nick Mardner (Canada)
Women's Golf (1) – Olivia McCrystal (Ireland)
Women's Soccer (1) – Alexis Campbell (Canada)
Men's Swimming & Diving (6) – Mohammad Abdelbaky (Egypt), Jet Fuhrmann (Denmark), Calvin Coetzee (South Africa), Ido Gal (Israel), Chris Hamilton-Brown (Denmark), & Murat Sagdullaev (Uzbekistan)
Women's Swimming & Diving (2) – Ella Chown (Great Britain) & Katie Pain (Canada)
Tennis (1) – Sofia Bruno (Italy)
Men's Track and Field (4) – Julius Hild (Germany), Carlos Koussai (Switzerland), Keco Morrison (Jamaica), & Fred Moudani (France)
Women's Track and Field (3) – Renee Sijbesma (Netherlands), Gabi Varisco de Oliveira (Brazil), and Leonie Troeger (Germany)