Four Cardinals named to Landmark Winter All-Academic Team

WASHINGTON – Four CUA student-athletes have been named to the 2011 Landmark Conference Winter All-Academic Team, it was recently announced.  Kelly Carioto (track and field), Ryan Horka (men’s basketball), Brendan Place (swimming) and Katarina Owunna (women’s basketball) were the four Cardinals chosen.

Two male and two female athletes from each of the eight Landmark institutions were selected for the team, which honors athletes who have excelled athletically and academically.  Nominees could compete in any of the Landmark winter sports and must be a sophomore or older with a cumulative GPA or 3.0 or better.

The 2011 Landmark Conference and ECAC champion in the shot put, Carioto carries a 3.94 grade point average as a history major.  A native of Pittsburgh, Carioto won the shot put at the Lebanon Valley Invite and the Dickinson Invite, and placed fifth in the event at the Frank Colden Invite.  Carioto was also a member of the 2011 Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll.

A business management major with a 3.26 GPA, Horka appeared in 16 games during this past season for the men’s basketball team, shooting 67 percent from the field during that time.  Horka did not miss a shot in three different games during the 2010-11 season and he is a member of the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Place was a member of the first place 200 medley relay team vs. St. Mary’s as well as conference foe Drew.  He also finished second in the 100 breaststroke vs. Merchant Marine Academy.  A member of the 2011 Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll, Place maintains a 3.52 grade point average in engineering.

Owunna saw time in 22 games for CUA this season, making 14 starts during that time.  The sophomore averaged 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, while shooting 45 percent from the field.  Owunna scored in double figures nine times throughout the season, with a high of 23.  An accounting major and member of the Landmark Conference Academic Honor Roll, Owunna maintains a 3.91 GPA in the classroom.

The Landmark Conference selects an All-Academic Team for each of the three athletic seasons during the year.