Gendebo adds UAA Track AOW honors

WALTHAM, Mass. – Four Brandeis University student-athletes have earned University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week honors in recent weeks. Rookie fencer Olivia Etkind of Leawood, Kan., was selected for the week of Dec. 3. For the week of Dec. 10, senior Jaime Capra of Old Bridge, N.J., was chosen for women's basketball, sophomore James Liu of Longmeadow, Mass., was named for men's swimming and diving, and rookie Mekonen Gendebo of Cambridge, Mass., earned the honor for men's indoor track and field.

Gendebo, who earned UAA Rookie of the Year honors during the cross country season, turned in his second top-10 performance of the indoor track and field campaign on Dec. 8 at the Harvard University Open. He placed third in a field of 28 competitors in the 5,000-meter run. His time of 15:28.25 was tops among NCAA Division III runners entered.

Etkind helped the Brandeis women's fencers to four wins in eight matches two weeks ago. A saber fencer, Etkind posted the team's best record for the week, going 16-4. She went 6-2 in the weapon during the inaugural Beanpot Fencing Tournament at Harvard University on Nov. 28, winning all three bouts in a 19-8 triumph over Boston College, and picking up an additional two victories in a 15-12 win over MIT. She was the team’s top individual on Dec. 1 during the Brandeis University Invitational with a 10-2 mark, posting a 3-0 bouts record in Judges victories over Tufts University (16-11) and Yale University (16-11).

Capra, a senior captain for the Brandeis women's basketball team, averaged 18.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and five assists in helping the Judges to a 3-0 week last week. After compiling seven points, seven rebounds, and five assists in a 53-47 win at WPI on Dec. 4, Capra tallied 24 points (10-of-18 field goals with two 3-pointers), eight rebounds and four assists in a 59-46 victory over Wheaton (Mass.) College on Dec. 6. Two days later, she contributed a season-high 25 points and a career-best six assists while pulling down five rebounds in a 75-56 victory over Williams College. For the week, she shot 46 percent (19-of-41) from the floor, 42 percent (5-of-12) from three-point range, and 87 percent (13-of-15) from the line. This marked the sixth time in Capra's career that she earned UAA Player of the Week honors.

Liu, a sophomore, earned UAA honors for the first time in his career. He won three individual events for the Judges in a 165-124 loss to Tufts University on Dec. 8. Liu won the 50-yard (24.95 seconds) and 200-yard (2:01.24) butterfly, and captured the 100-yard freestyle (48.81 seconds). Liu also swam the leadoff leg on the third-place 400-yard medley relay, swimming a 56.90-second backstroke split.

Etkind is a 2007 graduate of Blue Valley North High School. She is the daughter of Andrew and Angela Etkind, Leawood, Kans.

Capra is a 2004 graduate of Old Bridge High School. She is the daughter of Robert and Diane Capra, Old Bridge, N.J.

Liu is a 2006 graduate of Longmeadow High School. He is the son of John and Cathy Liu, Longmeadow, Mass.

Gendebo is a 2007 graduate of Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School. He is the son of Weldesenbet and Aberash Gendebo, Cambridge, Mass.