Tempe, Ariz. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) proudly announced the 2023 Division III Women’s ITA Scholar-Athletes and All-Academic Teams on Wednesday morning (July 12). Among the recipients, the St. Mary’s College of Maryland women’s tennis team stood out, receiving their 14th overall ITA All-Academic Team Award and producing seven ITA Scholar-Athletes.
Academia plays a vital role in the college tennis experience, enhancing the unique student-athlete journey on nationwide campuses.
To be recognized as an ITA All-Academic Team, programs must maintain a team grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or above on a 4.00 scale. Additionally, all student-athletes must be listed on the institutional eligibility form, and the cumulative team GPA for the current academic year must include all varsity letter winners.
During the 2022-23 academic year, St. Mary’s College achieved a notable 3.41 team GPA, securing their first All-Academic Team recognition under newly appointed Head Coach Sona Hussian. Hussian, who previously served as the interim head coach, had her interim tag removed just last week.
The Seahawks proudly joined the ranks of 160 women’s tennis programs awarded the All-Academic Team distinction. St. Mary’s College was one of only two institutions representing the United East Conference, alongside Penn State Harrisburg.
St. Mary’s College players Hannah Gorel ’23 (Jessup, Md./Hammond), Bella Sterner ’23 (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill), Georgia Kline, Ellie Walter, Giselle Harris, Amber Manspeaker, and Anjali Raheja all earned the prestigious title of ITA Scholar-Athlete.
To be recognized as an ITA Scholar-Athlete, students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.00 scale for the current academic year and be listed on the institutional eligibility form.
Within the sport of tennis, student-athletes continually surpass expectations both on the court and in the classroom. In 2023, 1,204 Division III women’s student-athletes were honored as ITA Scholar-Athletes. The St. Mary’s College players were part of a 16-woman contingent representing the United East Conference. St. Mary’s led the way with seven honorees, followed by Penn State Harrisburg with three and Penn State Abington with three.
Gorel, Sterner, Harris, Manspeaker, and Walter are all repeat ITA Scholar-Athlete selections, with Gorel and Sterner earning the award for the third time.
The St. Mary’s College women’s tennis team has had an outstanding season, clinching back-to-back United East regular-season and tournament championships with an impressive overall record of 10-5 (5-0 UEC) during the 2022-23 season. Furthermore, the Seahawks earned the program’s second berth in the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship Tournament.
The ITA All-Academic Awards have been an esteemed tradition, with St. Mary’s College of Maryland earning recognition in several previous years, including 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and now in 2023.
This latest honor highlights the commitment of St. Mary’s College to both athletic excellence and academic achievement, solidifying its reputation as a well-rounded institution dedicated to the success of its student-athletes.