Tuesday, August 7, 2007

TUSCULUM MEN'S TENNIS EARNS ITA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM AWARD

Julien Jacob	Nicolas Bigler	Hunter Beal	Leo Guaycurus	Henrique Rodrigues

SKILLMAN, N.J. --- The Tusculum College men's tennis team is one of only 12 colleges and universities in NCAA Division II to be honored as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team announced officials Tuesday. The Pioneers also had five of its members earn ITA Scholar Athlete recognition.

The ITA All-Academic Team award is presented to any ITA program that has above a 3.20 cumulative grade point average. ITA Scholar Athletes are student-athletes who are a varsity letter winner, have a GPA of at least 3.50 for the current academic year and have been enrolled at their present school for at least two semesters.

The Pioneers boast a 3.305 team grade point average, the second highest of Tusculum's 14 sponsored sports (women's tennis is first with a 3.353 GPA).

Senior Julien Jacob earns his fourth consecutive ITA Scholar Athlete accolade. The Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada native was undefeated in his four singles matches and posted a 14-7 record with No. 3 doubles partner and fellow ITA Scholar Athlete Nicolas Bigler.

Bigler, a 6-6 rising sophomore from Chernex, Switzerland, went 9-9 at No. 2 singles, while posting a solid rookie campaign at the Greeneville, Tenn. school.

Leo Guaycurus, a rising junior from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, earns ITA Scholar Athlete status for the first time. Guaycurus commanded the No. 5 singles spot as he went 11-4, including 4-2 in South Atlantic Conference play.

Rising sophomore Henrique Rodrigues (Salvador-Bahia, Brazil) went 9-10 at No. 4 singles in his first TC season. He and Guaycurus were a solid No. 2 doubles duo as they went 11-8. Rodrigues has a perfect 4.00 GPA and was the recipient of the Tusculum Academic Freshman of the Year Award this past spring.

Heiskell, Tenn. native Hunter Beal, rounds out the academic honoree list. Beal, who earns this honor for a second straight year, posted a 10-4 worksheet at No. 6 singles.

The TC women also garnered ITA All-Academic Team status, making Coach Tommy Arnett's squads one of only eight tennis programs in the country to have both its men and women's teams honored. Tusculum was also one of seven programs in the nation to have five or more honorees (Rockhurst 6, Armstrong Atlantic 6, Tusculum 5, Rollins 5, Ouachita Baptist 5, Michigan Tech 5, Lynn 5, Florida Tech 5) earn ITA Scholar Athlete recognition.

Tusculum posted a 15-7 record this past season, while finishing second in the South Atlantic Conference and advanced to the final of the Food Lion SAC Tournament. The Pioneers also make their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last six years.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

- TC -

ITA NCAA II All-Academic Men's Tennis Award Recipients

Armstrong Atlantic State University

Barry University

Bentley College

Florida Southern College

Lynn University

Michigan Tech

Ouachita Baptist University

Rockhurst University

Rollins College

Southwest Baptist University

TUSCULUM COLLEGE

Western New Mexico University