LU’s Gutierrez is Student-Athlete of the Year

BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University’s Mariaryeni Gutierrez was named the Southland Conference Women’s Tennis Student-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced Wednesday.

Gutierrez became the first women’s tennis player to be named the Student-Athlete of the Year in consecutive seasons. The native of San Antonio, Venezuela, has a 3.78 grade-point average in kinesiology. Gutierrez, who was also the 2010 SLC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year, was 20-1 at the No. 1 singles position, including a 10-1 mark in conference play, and 19-3 at first doubles in 2011, earning second-team all-conference honors in both categories.

“That is so good for Mariaryeni,” Lamar coach David Wong said. “She’s a great athlete and a tremendous student.”

Gutierrez finished her Lamar career with an overall record of 83-5 in singles play, including a 40-4 mark in SLC matches. She was 65-20 all-time in doubles.

Lamar had a conference-leading three players named to the first team of the SLC’s All-Academic Team. Joining Gutierrez on the first team were teammates Kaltrina Harbuzi and Diana Mendez.

Harbuzi, a graduate student from Schneverdingen, Germany, carries a 4.00 GPA in political science. Harbuzi went 21-1 at No. 2 singles, including an 11-0 mark in conference play to earn first-team all-conference honors from the SLC. She teamed with Gutierrez for a 19-3 record at No. 1 doubles.

Harbuzi finished her Lamar career with a 71-9 record in singles play and a 54-26 mark in doubles.

Mendez, a senior from Bogota, Colombia, who has a 3.87 GPA in management, was a first-team all-conference selection at No. 5 singles. Mendez finished the season with a 20-0 record in singles play.

The Lady Cardinals posted a 19-3 overall record and finished in second place in the Southland Conference with a 10-1 record.