The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released its 2010 All-Academic Teams and Scholar-Athlete award-winners recently and the Gustavus women’s tennis team was recognized for its outstanding academic achievement. Gustavus was one of 75 Division III programs recognized for having compiled a team cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or above (on a 4.00 scale). This is the ninth consecutive year that the Gustavus women’s tennis team has been recognized by the ITA with the All-Academic Team honor. All student-athletes whose names appear on the NCAA eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the GPA for the current academic year (including fall 2009 and spring 2010).
In addition to its success in the classroom, Coach Jon Carlson’s squad was also very productive on the court winning its 19th straight MIAC regular season title and then claiming a fourth consecutive MIAC Playoff Championship. The Gusties finished the season by finishing fifth at the NCAA Team Championship and posting an overall record of 33-11.
The ITA also honored 12 individuals for their academic success, which is the largest group from one instititution in all Divisions combined (NCAA I, II, and III, and NAIA). That group included Heather Annis (Fy., Mapleton, Minn.), Julie Bardenwerper (Jr., Waunakee, Wis.), Maria Bryan (So., Edina, Minn.), Alex Erickson (So., Minnetonka, Minn./Hopkins), Sam Frank (Jr., Mahtomedi, Minn.), Megan Gaard (So., Edina, Minn.), Sophie Horton (So., Northfield, Ill./New Trier), Sierra Krebsbach (Sr. North Oaks, Minn./Mounds View), Leigh Kreklau (Fy., Maple Grove, Minn.), Alex O’Neal (Sr., Stevens Point, Wis.), Emily Roediger (So., Rochester, Minn./Mayo), and Alison Utke (Sr., Park Rapids, Minn.). To earn the individual Scholar-Athlete award, a student-athlete must meet the following criteria: be a varsity letter winner, have a GPA of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year and have been enrolled at their present school for at least two semesters (including freshman through senior year).
The ITA also honored senior Sierra Krebsbach as the Arthur Ashe Award winner from the Central Region. The Arthur Ashe Award is presented to an individual for outstanding accomplishment on the court, in the classroom, and for community service. Krebsbach was one of four finalists for the national Arthur Ashe Award, which was presented to Julia Browne of Tufts University.
Complete ITA Listing of Team and Inidividual Academic Award Recipients