LA MIRADA, Calif. --- The Biola Athletics Department and several members of its staff were recognized by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Southern California Baseball Division at its Lives Changed Banquet on Friday Nov. 2.

The FCA awarded Biola University its inaugural Community Partner of the Year award for allowing the FCA to use Eagles Diamond as its home site for its collegiate summer baseball teams and for its numerous youth baseball camps throughout the year.

Biola Baseball's assistant coach Jonathan Munoz was also named Coach of the Year at the banquet for his Christian leadership and service as the manager of several FCA baseball teams, including the So. Cal Catch in the summer of 2018.

Biola Athletics Hall of Famer Ben Orr presented the award for Community Partner of the Year to Director of Athletics Dr. Bethany Miller, who accepted on behalf of the University.

"Biola is one of our longest standing community partnerships, dating back to 1999 where the first baseball camp was held on its campus with 13 kids in attendance," said Orr. "FCA baseball would like to recognize Minerva Edwards, Assistant Athletic Director for Conference Services, who handles all the setup and correspondence for our ministry programs that take place on Biola's campus.

"Oscar Pantoja serves on the grounds crew and is always a humble servant, always asking how to fulfill our facility needs and working around our camps to ensure things look great. Jay Sullenger, Biola's Head Baseball Coach, is someone who gets it, leads with integrity and always keeps Christ at the center of his program. Jay has been so generous to accommodate our ministry and has a tremendous invitational approach to the community."

Dr. Miller accepted the award by thanking the Athletics Department's partners across Biola's campus and by affirming the department's support of FCA Southern California's mission to spread the gospel through youth baseball.