A school-record five UCF student-athletes were honored Wednesday by the American Athletic Conference for their all-around excellence.
Cross country runner Anne-Marie Blaney, rower Ashleigh Boyd, men’s tennis player Harrison Richmond, women’s tennis player Monica Matias and indoor track and field runner Rosie Chamberlain earned The American’s Sport Excellence Awards.
These honors are given to a student-athlete in each AAC-sponsored sport, based on academic credentials, athletic accolades and accomplishments, as well as volunteer service to the community. To be eligible student-athletes must have a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average and have attained junior academic standing.
Anne-Marie Blaney holds a 3.467 GPA while pursuing a master’s degree in health care informatics. A two-time U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Academic All-American, Blaney has been on the UCF Dean’s List five times and named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in eight semesters.
The Ocala, Fla., native closed her highly decorated cross country career with the highest finish by a Knight at the NCAA Cross Country Championships after taking both the conference and regional individual titles. She holds the top three 6K times in school history, and six of the top seven 5K times in the program. Blaney has also been active in the community during her tenure as a Knight, mentoring local youth, participating in Pack to Attack Hunger and traveling internationally on Knights Without Borders.
Ashleigh Boyd graduated with a 3.767 GPA while double majoring in accounting and finance in May 2017. She will enroll in the UCF DeVos Sport Business Management graduate program in the fall. A two-time CRCA Scholar-Athlete, Boyd was on the UCF Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for four consecutive years.
The Jacksonville, Fla., native helped UCF earn its first conference championship in school history in 2015, starting a streak of three consecutive titles and NCAA appearances. In 2017, she was a member of the Varsity Eight that was named The American’s Boat of the Year and helped the Knights to the best team NCAA finish at 18th. In the community, Boyd participated in numerous events during her Knights tenure, including Relay for Life and Special Olympics.
Harrison Richmond holds a 3.625 GPA and is pursuing a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies. He was named to the UCF Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll during both of his semesters at UCF.
The Pawleys Island, S.C., native was named team captain and Most Valuable Player for the 2017 campaign. He ranked as high as No. 27 in doubles action and won the Dick Vitale Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic doubles title. Richmond was also active in the community, volunteering his time at Nemours Hospital.
Monica Matias holds a 3.813 GPA and is pursuing a degree in human communication. The junior has been named to The American’s All-Academic team during her first two seasons with the Knights.
A native of Moca, Puerto Rico, Matias earned an all-conference nod for the second consecutive season and was named team MVP for 2017. She tallied a 14-4 singles record, playing mostly at No. 1 and No. 2 on the season. Matias has been active in the community, participating in Relay for Life, Pack to Attack Hunger and Habitat for Humanity.
Rosie Chamberlain holds a 3.889 GPA and is pursuing a degree in sport and exercise science. She has been on the UCF Dean’s List and Athletic Director’s Honor Roll for five consecutive sememsters.
A native of Exeter, England, Chamberlain defended her 800-meter title at the 2017 American Athletic Conference Indoor Championships while helping the Knights earn the program’s first indoor title in The American. On Feb. 11, Chamberlain broke her own school record in the 800 at the Music City Challenge. She earned all-conference honors in the 800 and as a member of the third-place 4×400 relay team. In the community, Chamberlain participated in several events, including Pack to Attack Hunger, Relay for Life and an Autism Awareness Walk.