Tusculum Men’s, Women’s Tennis Recognized by ITA

Tusculum Men's Tennis Named ITA All-Academic Team

Tusculum men's tennis team is one of only 13 colleges and universities in NCAA Division II to be recognized as an 2010-2011 Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team. The Pioneers also had five of its members earn ITA Scholar Athlete distinction including: Steven Lin, Luis Zamora, Drew Kiser, Sam Groeneveld and Paulo dos Santos.

The ITA All-Academic Team Award is presented to any ITA program that has above a 3.2 cumulative grade point average. ITA Scholar Athletes are student-athletes who are a varsity letter-winner, have a GPA of 3.5 or higher for the current academic year and have been enrolled at their present school for at least two semesters.

The Pioneers boasted a 3.719 team GPA, the best of Tusculum's 14 sponsored sports. This also marks the fifth straight year that the Tusculum men's tennis program has earned the ITA All-Academic Team Award.

Lin returns to the ITA Scholar Athlete Team for a third straight year. The Ping Dong, Taiwan senior posted a 10-8 singles record last season, while also going 10-8 in doubles play. In his two years at Tusculum, the two-time All-South Atlantic Conference honoree has posted a 39-17 singles record, while also going 36-21 in doubles. Lin is majoring in Biology with a 3.75 GPA and is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Zamora, a junior from Santiago, Chile, makes his second appearance on the ITA Scholar Athlete Team. He posted an 8-10 singles record in the top three flights for the Pioneers and went 5-13 in doubles. He has a perfect 4.00 GPA while majoring in Business Administration with a double concentration in General Management and Economics & International Economics. He was the co-recipient of the Duffield Academic Award this past spring and is also a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the Dean's List, the President's List and the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.

Kiser, a senior from Bristol, Tenn., makes his inaugural appearance on the ITA Scholar Athlete Team. He went 8-5 in singles competition, including 5-3 in SAC play. He also posted a 10-8 doubles record. Kiser has a 3.57 GPA while majoring in Biology and Pre-Physical Therapy. He is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Groeneveld, a native from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, went 4-5 in singles play in his freshman campaign. He also went 4-3 in doubles play with Kiser at the No. 3 flight.

Paulo dos Santos rounds out this year's honorees on the ITA Scholar Athlete Team. Dos Santos, a native from Rondania. Brazil, went 1-3 in singles play in his only competition of the season. He was a two-time ITA Scholar Athlete selection.

Conley, Thompson Named ITA Scholar Athletes

Tusculum women's tennis players Courtney Conley and Blake Thompson have been named to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar Athlete Team.

ITA Scholar Athletes are student-athletes who are a varsity letter-winner, have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher for the current academic year and have been enrolled at their present school for at least two semesters.

Conley, a rising junior from Bristol, Tenn., went 6-14 playing at the top flight during her second collegiate season. The 2010 All-South Atlantic Conference honoree also went 8-12 in doubles competition. She has a 3.55 GPA while majoring in Pre-Medicine. She is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Thompson, a native of Bristol, Tenn., graduated from Tusculum this past May. The Pre-Medicine major finished with a 3.60 GPA and was the recipient of the prestigious SAC Scholar Athlete Award for Women's Tennis, becoming the third player in the program's history to earn the honor that recognizes athletic excellence, academic achievement, community service and leadership.

She went 12-6 in singles play last year to earn All-Conference Second Team recognition. During her tennis career, Thompson recorded 92 career victories in singles and doubles, including 36 conference wins. She had a 22-match winning streak in singles from 2009 to 2010. She helped Tusculum to two conference championships and one SAC Tournament title. The Tennessee High School graduate has been named an ITA Scholar-Athlete four times. She has been on the Tusculum Dean's List every semester, as well as the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List. In 2008, she was recognized as the Tusculum Academic Freshman of the Year for having the highest GPA.

- Courtesy Tusculum Media Relations