The International Education Office honored Eastern’s international athletes and students for the merits that they achieved this year, Monday evening in the Doudna Fine Arts Center.

Eastern men’s soccer won the International Athletic Team of the Year award, the coach, Kiki Lara along with some players, went up to the stage to receive it.

“From the EIU soccer team we are very grateful and honored for this award, it is very nice to see how the hard work and consistency have paid off,” Edgar Mesa, the captain for Eastern’s men’s soccer team, said. “And above all is the improvement as a team in terms of academics and athletics over the past year.”

In individual awards, the International Education Office awarded Mike Jansen from Eastern men’s tennis team, as the International Male Student Athlete of the Year. Jansen is a sophomore from the Netherlands majoring in business administration.

Srishti Slaria, from the women’s tennis team, won the International Female Athlete of the Year award, later in the ceremony she was also named the Distinguished International Student in the field of economics. Slaria is a senior from India majoring in economics.

Jake Plant, the coach for Eastern’s women’s soccer team, won the International Coach of the Year award.

“The award is a nice recognition, but is more a representation of what the team did in in the past 12 months, which they did awesome.” Plant said.

Another Eastern athlete was recognized later in the afternoon, for her academic success, the International Office awarded Henar Urteaga Juangarcía, from Eastern’s women’s soccer team, as Distinguished International Student in the field of physics.

The dean of the graduate school, Ryan Hendrickson, and the assistant dean for international education, Mutombo Kabasele, were in charge of handing the awards to the students and giving a brief speech at the end of the ceremony.

They promised to celebrate the International Education Awards again next year.

Pilar Barrio Sanchez can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]