Oct. 7, 2004

MILWAUKEE - Men's soccer player Eric Mickschl and women's volleyball player Karen Fruit have been named the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Athletes of the Month for September.

Mickschl leads the Horizon League and ranks 19th nationally in goals against average, allowing just 0.63 goals per game. He went 3-1 during the month, recording 12 saves. His wins included an impressive 4-0 shutout of league rival Detroit. A sophomore from Glendale, Wis., Mickschl is an art major who is on UWM's Dean's List and the Horizon League's Academic Honor Roll.

Fruit was named the Horizon League Player of the Week after tallying a career-high 30 kills in a win over Northern Illinois early in the month. She tops the team in kills and has been named to the all-tournament team at the Northern Illinois Tournament and at the Panther Invitational. She also surpassed 1,000 kills for her career during the month, becoming just the sixth Panther in the school's Division I history to do so. An accounting major from Viola, Wis., Fruit was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-Region team last year while making the UWM Dean's List, the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll and the Horizon League's Volleyball All-Academic Team.

Nominees for UWM Athlete of the Month are submitted by the sports information department based on athletic achievement to a panel of UWM Athletic Administrators, who vote on the honor. All nominees are also eligible tor consideration as UWM's Athletes of the Year, which are picked in May.