Barry’s Barbi Pocza Named Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Barry tennis standout Barbi Pocza has been named the 2010-11 Sunshine State Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
A senior, Pocza carried a 3.71 grade point average as a finance major. She was recently named to the Capital One Academic All-America Second Team, having won First Team Academic All-District Honors earlier this spring.
Pocza is a two-time member of the SSC Spring Commissioner’s Honor Roll, having earned the distinction in 2010 and 2011. She was also named to the Barry University Dean’s List for the Fall 2009 and Spring 2011 semesters. Additionally, she was a member of the Fall 2010 Barry University President’s List and Spring 2010 Athletic Director’s List. Pocza is a three-time Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement recipient (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11).
On the court, Pocza led Barry to the 2011 NCAA Division II Women’s Tennis National Championship. She was tabbed 2010-11 Collegiate Women’s Sports Award DII National Tennis Player of the Year and ITA South Region Senior Player of the Year. She was a 2011 First-Team ITA All-American in both singles and doubles.
A native of Gyor, Hungary, Pocza was selected SSC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year for the second straight season. She was an All-SSC First Team honoree in both singles and doubles play.
Pocza was also active in a number of causes in the Miami Shores community. She participated in the Barry Gives Back Tennis Clinic, Miami Shores Village Celebration, Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraising, and the National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Voting for the SSC Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards is conducted among the league’s athletic directors and faculty athletics representatives. Criteria considered in selecting recipients include 40 percent grade point average, 40 percent athletic prominence, and 20 percent school and community involvement.
Pocza’s honor marks the eighth time that a Barry student-athlete has been named SSC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Previous Barry winners were: softball player Shyla Rider (2007-08 and 2008-09); tennis players Greta Trotman (2004-05 and 2005-06) and Victoria Courmes (2002-03); and volleyball players Janina Morusiewicz (1997-98) and Marya Morusiewicz (1995-96).