Monday, August 15, 2005

MORAVIAN WOMEN’S TENNIS NAMED ITA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM;
NINE GREYHOUNDS NAMED ITA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES

SKILLMAN, NJ --- The 2004 Moravian College women’s tennis team, which participated in the conference championship match for the 11th straight season last fall, has been named a 2005 Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team for the fourth consecutive year.

Nine of the Greyhounds’ individual players, seniors Julie Anderson (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS), Marion Berry (Avon, NJ/St. Rose HS) and Becky Deringer (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS), juniors Katie Cooke (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley HS) and Nicole Gruber (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon HS), sophomores Courtney Hall (Denver, PA/Cocalico HS) and Margo Kokolus (Orefield, PA/Parkland HS) and freshmen Leah Bradshaw (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge HS) and Jennel Yelito (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua HS) earned ITA Scholar-Athlete honors for maintaining at least a 3.50 GPA, earning a varsity letter and being enrolled for at least two semesters.

The ITA All-Academic Team award is open to any ITA 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 eligibility form and have competed in one or more matches are averaged into the cumulative grade point average for the current year (including fall 2004 and spring 2005).

A total of 237 NCAA schools earn the ITA All-Academic Award, while 23 NAIA schools and four junior colleges were honored with the largest number, 85 programs, coming from the NCAA Division I women’s programs.

Moravian was one of 56 NCAA Division III women’s teams to win the ITA All-Academic award, and one of three from the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation to earn the honors. Drew University and Wilkes University also achieved team accolades.

Deringer posted a 11-6 singles record and 9-5 at first singles Deringer was named Commonwealth Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year. Deringer also had a 15-3 doubles record with a 12-2 first doubles record. Berry had a 10-3 record at second singles and was named to the All-Conference First Team. She teamed with Cooke for an 0-2 doubles record and Gruber for an 0-1 doubles record. Gruber made it to the All-Conference Second Team posting a 15-4 singles record and 9-3 at third singles for the Hounds. Cooke had a 4-1 singles record and 4-0 at fourth singles.

Cooke and Anderson paired for a 6-2 overall doubles record. Hall and Kokolus had a 6-4 doubles record with 5-4 at second doubles. Gruber paired with Bradshaw for a 8-1 doubles record and 7-1 at third doubles. Bradshaw had a 12-5 singles record and 7-4 at fifth singles. Yelito had a 5-0 singles record, while Anderson a was 1-0 in singles.

A total of 1,300 NCAA student-athletes earn the ITA Scholar-Athlete Award, while 104 NAIA student-athletes and 22 junior college student-athletes were honored with the largest number, 372 student-athletes, coming from the NCAA Division I women’s programs. Moravian’s nine players were part of the second largest group honored, 345 student-athletes from NCAA Division III women’s programs.

Moravian will open its 2005 season on Thursday, September 1st in a non-conference match versus Cabrini College beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Hoffman Courts in Bethlehem.