The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) has announced the 2015 ITA All-Academic Teams and ITA Scholar-Athlete award winners.
Three Irvine Valley women's tennis players earned recognition for their academic achievements.
Sophomores Christie Yamasaki and Renee Walton and freshman Karina Ryabokonova were honored.
"At its core, college tennis is about higher education. And, our sport has always been a leader when it comes to high performing scholar-athletes," said Timothy Russell, Chief Executive Officer of the ITA. "This group represents the best of the best, as do their coaches who regularly serve as such great teachers and mentors of our sport's finest young people. Hearty and well-deserved congratulations coupled with loud cheers go out to all of these superstars of intercollegiate athletics."
The ITA All-Academic Team award is open to any member program that has a cumulative team grade point average of 3.20 or above (on a 4.00 scale). All eligible student-athletes whose names appear on the NCAA, NAIA or Junior/Community College eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the GPA for the current academic year (including fall 2014 and spring 2015).
In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status a player must meet the following criteria: 1.) be a varsity letter winner, 2.) have a grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and 3.) have been enrolled at their present school for at least 2 semesters (including freshman thorough senior year).
The trio of IVC players also helped Irvine Valley to one of its best seasons on the court in 2015. Irvine Valley finished second in the Orange Empire Conference, had a record of 10-6 overall and made the Southern California Regional Playoffs.
All members of the 2015 ITA All-Academic Teams and ITA Scholar-Athletes will receive a certificate to recognize the achievement.
The full list can be viewed here
