UNIVERSITY PARK, PA--Marina Arrese, a junior on the NJIT women's fencing team, is the recipient of the Elite 90 Award for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Fencing Championship.

Arrese, from Madrid, Spain, was named to the Dean's List for five semesters and carries a 4.0 grade point average, majoring in business.  With 102 credits earned, Arrese earns the top academic achievement out of 144 participants competing at the NCAA Fencing Championships.

This season, Arrese combined for a 22-6 mark with a 79% win percentage in epee competition. 

At the Ohio State Invitational, Arrese recorded a 17-2 record with wins over Wright State, Air Force, Notre Dame, Duke, Denison and host Ohio State.

This marks the second time in women's fencing program history the Highlanders have earned the prestigious Elite 90 Award.  

In 2015-16, Julia Garcia, a two-time All-American, was a recipient of the Elite 90 Award as a business major, boosting a 4.0 grade point average. Full Release

The Elite 90, an award founded by the NCAA, recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The Elite 90 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships.

Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. All ties are broken by the number of credits completed.

For ore information on the Elite 90 award winners, log on to https://www.ncaa.com/elite-90.