The University of Akron Athletics
Gorecka, Arrivo Earn 2022-23 MAC Medal of Excellence Awards
May 18 | Women's Swimming & Diving, Baseball
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference released its 2022-23 MAC Medal of Excellence recipients as seniors Weronika Gorecka (Wroclaw, Poland) and Nick Arrivo (Ann Arbor, Mich.) garnered the honors for the University of Akron, the league announced Thursday.
Gorecka helped guide the Akron Zips swimming and diving program to the 2023 Mid-American Conference Championship en route to being named to First Team All-MAC. Gorecka also earned NCAA Honorable Mention All-America accolades after competing at the 2023 NCAA Championships and finishing 13th overall in the 200-yard backstroke with a MAC and school record time of 1:52.43. She is a two-time individual MAC champion and was a member of four relay team to claim MAC championships.
For her career, Gorecka was a member of three MAC Championship teams (2020,2022,2023) and is a three-time first team All-MAC performer (2021, 2022, 2023). In 2020, Gorecka was named MAC Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-MAC honors. She captured six relay championships, three individual championships, two runner-up finishes and two third place touches. Gorecka competed at the NCAA Championships in 2022 and 2023. At Akron she ranks first all-time in the 200 Back and second all-time in the 200 Free. In addition, she was a member of two relay teams that posted the second fastest times in school history (400 Medley Relay and 800 Free Relay).
Arrivo is a two-year member of the Akron baseball team. In 2023, Arrivo has started and played in all 52 games, mostly appearing at shortstop. He is second on the team in hitting with a .283 batting average with a second best 53 hits in 187 at bats. Arrivo registered 23 RBI and has touched 77 bases en route to scoring 40 runs. Arrivo owns eight doubles, four homeruns and two triples this season.
Last season, Arrivo has played and started 87 games. He paced the squad last season with a .306 batting average with a second best 56 hits in 183 at bats. Arrivo was also second in RBI with 32 and has touched 78 bases en route to scoring 18 runs. Arrivo posted six doubles, four homeruns and two triples this season.
For his career, Arrivo owns a ,281 batting average at Akron with 89 hits in 310 at bats. He scored 79 runs and recorded 42 RBI with 21 extra base hits, including 12 doubles, five homeruns and four triples.
Complete list of 2023 Medal of Excellence Award Winners
Akron:
Nicolas Arrivo, Baseball, MSM Supply Chain Management, 3.53 GPA
Weronika Gorecka, W Swim & Dive, Strategic and Organizational Communication, 3.75 GPA
Ball State:
Noah Berryman, M Swim & Dive, Political Science / Economics, 3.61 GPA
Megan Teter, Gymnastics, Biochemistry / Pre-Medicine, 3.70 GPA
Bowling Green:
Gage Schenk, Baseball, Master of Accountancy, 4.00 GPA
Zaresha Neal, W Track & Field, Master of Business Administration, 4.00 GPA
Buffalo:
Olivia DeBortoli, Volleyball / W Basketball, Biological Sciences, 3.95 GPA
Giuseppe Hoose, Wrestling, Environmental Engineering, 3.77 GPA
Central Michigan:
Robert Stuart, Football, Masters of Science in Neuroscience, 4.00 GPA
Hannah DeMers, Gymnastics, Applied Arts in Health Administration, 3.88 GPA
Eastern Michigan:
Chevonne Wheeler, W Track & Field, Exercise Science and Physiology, 4.00 GPA
Luke Russo, Baseball, Marketing, 3.67 GPA
Kent State:
Kody Komara, Wrestling, Masters of Sport Administration, 3.80 GPA
Rachel DeCavitch, Gymnastics, Communication Studies, 3.60 GPA
Miami:
Riley Coyne, Softball, Master of Gerontological Studies, 3.88 GPA
Jalen Walker, Football, Master of Sport Leadership & Management, 3.65 GPA
NIU:
Liam Soraghan, Football, Master in Business Administration, 3.77 GPA
Natalie Hamp, Gymnastics, Kinesiology, 3.99 GPA
Ohio:
Bryce Houston, Football, Finance, 3.50 GPA
Alyssa Christian, W Cross Country/Track & Field, Psychology, 3.96 GPA
Toledo:
JT Shumate, M Basketball, Education in Middle Childhood Education, 3.84 GPA
Erin Hunt, Softball, Master of Public Health, 4.00 GPA
Western Michigan:
Peter Kuszynski, Men's Tennis, Finance, 3.76 GPA
Hannah Sargent, W Soccer, Aerospace Engineering, 3.88 GPA
Gorecka helped guide the Akron Zips swimming and diving program to the 2023 Mid-American Conference Championship en route to being named to First Team All-MAC. Gorecka also earned NCAA Honorable Mention All-America accolades after competing at the 2023 NCAA Championships and finishing 13th overall in the 200-yard backstroke with a MAC and school record time of 1:52.43. She is a two-time individual MAC champion and was a member of four relay team to claim MAC championships.
For her career, Gorecka was a member of three MAC Championship teams (2020,2022,2023) and is a three-time first team All-MAC performer (2021, 2022, 2023). In 2020, Gorecka was named MAC Freshman of the Year and earned Second Team All-MAC honors. She captured six relay championships, three individual championships, two runner-up finishes and two third place touches. Gorecka competed at the NCAA Championships in 2022 and 2023. At Akron she ranks first all-time in the 200 Back and second all-time in the 200 Free. In addition, she was a member of two relay teams that posted the second fastest times in school history (400 Medley Relay and 800 Free Relay).
Arrivo is a two-year member of the Akron baseball team. In 2023, Arrivo has started and played in all 52 games, mostly appearing at shortstop. He is second on the team in hitting with a .283 batting average with a second best 53 hits in 187 at bats. Arrivo registered 23 RBI and has touched 77 bases en route to scoring 40 runs. Arrivo owns eight doubles, four homeruns and two triples this season.
Last season, Arrivo has played and started 87 games. He paced the squad last season with a .306 batting average with a second best 56 hits in 183 at bats. Arrivo was also second in RBI with 32 and has touched 78 bases en route to scoring 18 runs. Arrivo posted six doubles, four homeruns and two triples this season.
For his career, Arrivo owns a ,281 batting average at Akron with 89 hits in 310 at bats. He scored 79 runs and recorded 42 RBI with 21 extra base hits, including 12 doubles, five homeruns and four triples.
Complete list of 2023 Medal of Excellence Award Winners
Akron:
Nicolas Arrivo, Baseball, MSM Supply Chain Management, 3.53 GPA
Weronika Gorecka, W Swim & Dive, Strategic and Organizational Communication, 3.75 GPA
Ball State:
Noah Berryman, M Swim & Dive, Political Science / Economics, 3.61 GPA
Megan Teter, Gymnastics, Biochemistry / Pre-Medicine, 3.70 GPA
Bowling Green:
Gage Schenk, Baseball, Master of Accountancy, 4.00 GPA
Zaresha Neal, W Track & Field, Master of Business Administration, 4.00 GPA
Buffalo:
Olivia DeBortoli, Volleyball / W Basketball, Biological Sciences, 3.95 GPA
Giuseppe Hoose, Wrestling, Environmental Engineering, 3.77 GPA
Central Michigan:
Robert Stuart, Football, Masters of Science in Neuroscience, 4.00 GPA
Hannah DeMers, Gymnastics, Applied Arts in Health Administration, 3.88 GPA
Eastern Michigan:
Chevonne Wheeler, W Track & Field, Exercise Science and Physiology, 4.00 GPA
Luke Russo, Baseball, Marketing, 3.67 GPA
Kent State:
Kody Komara, Wrestling, Masters of Sport Administration, 3.80 GPA
Rachel DeCavitch, Gymnastics, Communication Studies, 3.60 GPA
Miami:
Riley Coyne, Softball, Master of Gerontological Studies, 3.88 GPA
Jalen Walker, Football, Master of Sport Leadership & Management, 3.65 GPA
NIU:
Liam Soraghan, Football, Master in Business Administration, 3.77 GPA
Natalie Hamp, Gymnastics, Kinesiology, 3.99 GPA
Ohio:
Bryce Houston, Football, Finance, 3.50 GPA
Alyssa Christian, W Cross Country/Track & Field, Psychology, 3.96 GPA
Toledo:
JT Shumate, M Basketball, Education in Middle Childhood Education, 3.84 GPA
Erin Hunt, Softball, Master of Public Health, 4.00 GPA
Western Michigan:
Peter Kuszynski, Men's Tennis, Finance, 3.76 GPA
Hannah Sargent, W Soccer, Aerospace Engineering, 3.88 GPA
Players Mentioned
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