March 9, 2007

Contact: Alan Ashby

Freshman men's swimmer Jakub Dobies and senior women's tennis player Sarah Galon have been named Cleveland State's Student-Athletes of the Month for February. CSU Director of Athletics Lee Reed made the announcement on Friday.

Dobies became the first Viking swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Harold Wagner in 1987. The Plock, Poland native swam a 53.77 to win the 100 breast at the Horizon League Championships, setting the league and school record in the process. The time was the sixth-fastest in the nation this year. He then went on to claim the 200 breast in a league record 2:00.92 en route to earning the league's newcomer of the year accolades.

A native of Waianae, Hawaii, Galon dropped just one set in February on her way to posting a 6-0 record at No. 1 singles. Now 20-6 on the year in singles play, she has won 12 of her last 13 singles matches. A three-time first team All-Horizon League selection, she also teamed with freshman Denisa Muntean to put together a 4-2 mark at No. 1 doubles.

The Athlete of the Month award was developed this year to honor Viking student-athletes for their on-field accomplishments. A female and male honoree will be selected at the conclusion of each month during the school year. Cleveland State sponsors 17 varsity sports, of which baseball, men's & women's basketball, men's & women's fencing, softball, men's & women's swimming, men's & women's tennis and wrestling are currently competing.

Previous 2006-07 Honorees: August/September: Andrew Gutting (men's soccer) & Liz Fazio (volleyball) October: Bjorn Schantz (men's swimming) & Mel Snyder (volleyball) November: Ryan Hurley (wrestling) & Leigh Pendergrass (fencing) December: J'Nathan Bullock (men's basketball) & Kailey Klein (women's basketball) January: Chris Dalman (men's diving) & Marianne Lionell (women's swimming)