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Junior water polo player honored by ESPN the Magazine

Pheobe Bakanas '10
Pheobe Bakanas '10

Junior water polo co-captain Phoebe Bakanas has been named to the 2009 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District 1 at-large third team in the college division. Bakanas joins Mickey Lenzi '10 (men's soccer), Sharon Katz '10 (women's soccer) and Marissa Demais '11 (volleyball) as the fourth camel student-athlete honored as a District 1 selection this academic year.

A dean's high honors student and member of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) All-Academic Team, Bakanas, a music technology and computer science major from Redding, Conn., maintains a remarkable 3.87 grade point average. In the water, Bakanas has emerged as one of the most prolific scorers in the region, tallying 98 goals in the past two seasons, including 12 in a sweep of Colorado College and Utica March 14. Men's and women's water polo coach JJ Addison has a fond appreciation of the gritty style of play Bakanas brings to the pool each and every day.

"Phoebe is a sweet young woman on land, but in the pool, she is a fearless competitor," Addison said. "She can shoot and score from any position and has a great vision for the game that allows her to set up her teammates. We are proud that she is representing our program with this award recognizing her academic and athletic excellence."

An accomplished musician, Bakanas is a violinist with the Connecticut College orchestra. She has been a member of the Music Student Advisory Board and the Student Government Association and has worked as a recruiting assistant with the college's career office.

Bakanas appreciates the support of her teammates and coaches and is looking forward to an exciting senior season of water polo.

"I attribute my success to the team's strong spirit and the affirming attitude of my coach, who makes everyone feel vital to the team," Bakanas said.

Connecticut College has been well represented on ESPN the Magazine's at-large teams, which include athletes representing 13 intercollegiate sports from schools around the nation. In 2004 and 2005, Kate Kovenock '05 (swimming) was honored on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America at-large Team. Beret Remak '07 (tennis) represented the college on the 2007 Academic All-America at-large squad. -

- By Will Tomasian



June 19, 2009