Thursday, August 12, 2004

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

SKILLMAN, NJ --- The 2003 Moravian College women’s tennis team, which won its fourth consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference championship last fall, has been named a 2004 Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team for the third consecutive year.

Eight of the Greyhounds’ individual players, senior Lauren Castagna (Mt. Bethel, PA/Bangor HS), juniors Julie Anderson (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) and Becky Deringer (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS), sophomores Nicole Gruber (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon HS) and Sara Weller (Gladstone, NJ/Bernards HS) and freshmen Courtney Hall (Denver, PA/Cocalico HS), Margo Kokolus (Orefield, PA/Parkland HS) and Kristin Smith (Kunkletown, PA/Pleasant Valley 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 2003 and spring 2004).

A total of 247 NCAA schools earn the ITA All-Academic Award, while 21 NAIA schools and three junior colleges were honored with the largest number, 83 programs, coming from the NCAA Division I women’s programs.

Moravian was one of 58 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 15-2 singles record and 11-1 at second singles. Deringer was named to the Commonwealth Conference First Team last fall. Castagna, who was a CoSIDA Academic All-American, had a 14-4 singles record and 9-3 at third singles. Castagna and Deringer had a 16-3 doubles record together with a 12-3 first doubles record. Castagna was named to the Commonwealth Conference Second Team.

Gruber posted a 14-4 singles record and a 9-3 record at third singles. Anderson posted an 8-3 singles record and a 6-3 record in sixth singles. Hall was 1-0 in singles. Smith was 1-1 in singles, while Weller posted a 1-2 singles record. Hall and Kokolus had a 6-0 doubles record with a 5-0 record at third doubles.

A total of 1,334 NCAA student-athletes earn the ITA Scholar-Athlete Award, while 106 NAIA student-athletes and 21 junior college student-athletes were honored with the largest number, 416 student-athletes, coming from the NCAA Division I women’s programs. Moravian’s eight players were part of the second largest group honored, 290 student-athletes from NCAA Division III women’s programs.

Moravian will open its 2004 season on Tuesday, August 31st in a non-conference match at Eastern University beginning at 4:00 p.m.