MIAMI (March 23, 2016) – With March being Women's History Month, FIU Athletics takes great pride in recognizing three women who have been honored for their hard work and dedication, both on and off the playing field.
On March 6, FIU Academic Coach
Dr. Anna Price was recognized by the Women's Coalition of Miami-Dade County, Inc. as a 2016 Women of Impact honoree. Dr. Price was one of seven recipients to garner this year's honor, which recognizes the outstanding women in Miami-Dade County and their work in public service and government.
Dr. Price, who was nominated by Rene Tew (a former tutor and current attorney), is an ordained minister, a university administrator and community activist. Over the past few years, she has worked with FIU's student-athletes to reach their academic goals.
Along with her work at FIU, Dr. Price, the first African-American Mayor of the City of South Miami (1997), has devoted herself to the city of Miami through her work with the Community Redevelopment Agency. She has also been involved with the Dade County Commission on the Status of Women, has served as a member of the Orange Bowl Foundation and was named a Woman of Excellence by the Helen B. Bentley Family Health Center. A Provost and Academic Dean for the Johnnie Coleman Theology Seminary, Dr. Price was presented with the Women of Impact award by her son Hollis Price III.
On March 16, senior golfer
Meghan MacLaren was named the Conference USA Women's Golfer of the Week for the week ending March 13.
MacLaren shot a three-under, 213, to finish fifth in this year's Notre Dame Clover Cup in Mesa, Ariz., hosted by the University of Notre Dame.
MacLaren's three-round total was the second-lowest for the Cambridge, United Kingdom native, who posted her third top-five and fifth top-10 finish of the season. Posting rounds of 70, 71, 72, at the par-72 Longbow Golf Club, MacLaren has now recorded rounds of even or under par 13 times this season. With a stroke average of 72.52, MacLaren currently ranks No. 45 among all NCAA golfers. Among 98 golfers, MacLaren placed in the top five after each day on the leaderboard.
On March 20, redshirt freshman
Naomi Ruele qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the 50 Free and will represent her country of Botswana this summer.
Ruele swam a 26.07 on Sunday from the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center during an official FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) approved time trial, qualifying for this year's Olympic Games (Aug. 5-21, 2016)
On the year, Ruele finished either first or second in the 50 Free 12 times. She has posted times under 23 seconds five times, including a 22.33 in the prelims of the C-USA Championships and her record-setting time of 22.23 in the finals.
Ruele was perfect during the C-USA Championships, winning gold in all seven events she swam in (three individual, four relays). Named the C-USA Swimmer of the Meet, she also set two school records during the championships (100 Free and 200 Free Relay).
