Cullowhee, N.C. – The Western Carolina women's tennis team was today named an ITA Academic All-American team with four Catamounts earning ITA Scholar-Athlete honors today as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its awards. It's the first time since 2022 that WCU collected team plaudits and the 12th consecutive year dating back to 2013 that WCU had student-athletes selected as ITA Scholar-Athletes.
The quartet of Angela Perez, Jade Groen, Madison Schwarz, and Chloe Schwarz were each named ITA Scholar-Athletes for the second season in a row, though it was the third season of academic excellence for Perez who has been an ITA Scholar-Athlete every season she has been in Cullowhee.
To be named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, a student-athlete must have a GPA of at least 3.5 for the current academic year and be listed on the institution's eligibility form. There were a total of 1,573 Division I women's student-athletes named ITA Scholar-Athlete this season.
The team honor is WCU's thirteenth since 2004 when the ITA began naming All-Academic honorees. Since taking the helm in 2018, head coach Bret Beaver's teams have been named an ITA All-Academic Team in six of a possible seven seasons with at least four individual honorees in all seven.
To be named an ITA All-Academic Team, a program must have a team GPA of 3.2 or above, have all student-athletes included be listed on the institutional eligibility form, and all varsity letter winners will be factored into the cumulative team GPA. There were a total of 255 women's tennis programs awarded the All-Academic Team distinction.
Catamount ITA Scholar-Athletes and All-Academic Teams since 2004
Bold year denotes All-Academic Team
2004
Kristin Cotton
Rocio Perez
2005
Kristin Cotton-Ikard
Patricia Hanson
Ashley Harris
Susana Sjokvist
Sara Ryckman
2006
Susanna Sjkovist
Trish Hanson
2007
Susanna Sjkovist
Trish Hanson
2008
Heather Bell
Trish Hanson
Susanna Sjokvist
2013
Shannon Bettiol
Karen Jimenez
Stacia Kissell
Erin Maguire
Nicole Nielly
Sara Ruiz Pajares
2014
Stacia Kissell
Erin Maguire
Megan McLinden
Nicole Nielly
Sara Ruize Parajes
2015
Elizabeth Ansari
Erin Maguire
Megan McLinden
Montse Mesalles
Nicole Nielly
Shannon Bettiol
2016
Elizabeth Ansari
Shannon Bettiol
Gaby Hurt
Stacia Kissell
Erin Maguire
Megan McLinden
Nicole Nielly
Savannah Taranto
Alexa Webb
2017
Elisabeth Ansari
Lauren McCall
Madison Riley
Jordan Strickland
Savannah Taranto
Alexa Webb
2018
Carli Deehr
Jordyn King
Lauren McCall
Jordan Strickland
Savannah Taranto
Caitlin Ward
Alexa Webb
2019
Jordan Strickland
Savannah Taranto
Alexis Webb
Lauren McCall
Carli Dehr
Jordyn King
Julia Pezzuco
Jacy Smith
2020
Carli Dehr
Emily Elliott
Jordyn King
Lauren McCall
Julia Pezzuco
Jordan Strickland
2021
Antonella Benavides
Carling Deehr
Emily Elliott
Kata Foldeax
Hoda Habib
Jordyn King
Julia Pezzuco
Jacy Smith
Anna Ulianov
2022
Angela Perez
Andrea Redondo
Julia Pezzuco
Jacy Smith
Hoda Habib
Jordyn King
2023
Angela Perez
Madison Schwarz
Chloe Schwarz
Jade Groen
2024
Angela Perez
Chloe Schwarz
Madison Schwarz
Jade Groen
