Kariya, Rybalko receive UMaine’s Smith Award

Martin Kariya and Viktoriya Rybalko have been honored as the recipients of the Dean Smith Award, which honors the top male and female student-athletes who exhibit exemplary academic achievement combined with athletic achievement, leadership and character.

Kariya, a senior hockey player from North Vancouver, British Columbia, won the award for the second straight year. The mathematics major holds a 3.78 grade point average and leads the Black Bears with 13 goals and 33 assists for 46 points.

Rybalko, a senior track and field performer from Zaporzhye, Ukraine, boasts a 3.65 GPA in microbiology. She was the Most Outstanding Performer last weekend at the America East indoor championships for the second straight year, winning the long and triple jumps.