Taekwondo, women’s rugby and boxing clubs shine on national level

The FIU Taekwondo Club competed at the 2014 National Collegiate Games in Berkley, California in April.

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17

A new mission fueled the FIU Taekwondo Club’s trip across the country to compete with universities from around the nation at the National Collegiate Taekwondo Association’s 2014 National Collegiate Games. Last year was about establishing the university’s presence on the national stage – this year’s mission was to leave a mark.

The club sent 15 competitors to the games, hosted by the University of California, Berkeley (compared to the five participants they sent to last year’s competition in Colorado).

“We went in there thinking ‘let’s show them what we can do and put FIU on the map,’” Assistant Head Coach Ray Alvarez said.

They did just that. The team more than tripled their medal count, bringing home a total of 16 medals – three gold, seven silver and six bronze  – and picking up victories against competitors from Brown, MIT, Texas State and University of California-Irvine.

• Coach Chris Alvarez: 2 silver and 1 bronze medal
• Assistant Coach Ray Alvarez: 2 silver medals
• Sky Choi: 1 gold, 2 silver medals
• Alfonso Meneses: 1 gold medal
• Daniel Cuyun: 1 bronze medal
• Chrstmyrr Muarice: 1 gold medal
• Jorge Nonell: 2 bronze medals
• Carol Rodriguez: 1 bronze medal
• Lavarr Farmer: 1 bronze medal
• Andres Perez: 1 silver medal

Read: Taekwondo club members learn strategy over strength

In addition, Ray, Chris and Choi were also chosen as alternates for the World University Games, which will be held in China in July. It would be a tremendous opportunity for the club to get noticed and represent FIU on an international level. Alvarez said, if the opportunity arises where members of the first team are unable to go, they would jump at the opportunity to make the trip.

BOXING CLUB MEMBERS WIN TWO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 

The FIU Boxing Club sent five boxers to the U.S. Intercollegiate Boxing Association (USIBA) competition held at the University of Miami in early April and left with two national champions.

Malaki Barbee became the college boxing champion in the Men’s 141-pound Novice weight class while Josh Ortiz won the championship in the Men’s 132-pound Beginner weight class.

WOMEN’S RUGBY CLUB ADVANCES TO FINAL FOUR

The FIU Women’s Rugby Club will be heading for California to take part in the USA College Rugby Division II Women’s Championships.

A 36-17 win over Lee University in the national quarterfinal gave FIU a ticket to the Final Four, where they will take on Appalachian State on May 10 at Stanford University.