By Cal State LA News Service
Cal State LA’s women’s tennis team succeeded in the classroom and on the court during an impressive 2017 season.
The team earned an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team award for having a team grade point average above 3.20, the ITA announced in late July. Five players also received Scholar-Athlete honors from the ITA, adding to the eight players who earned Academic All-PacWest Conference recognition this season.
Several members of the team were granted ITA Scholar-Athlete awards for having grade point averages above 3.50:
- Pyper Brown, 4.00
- Kayleigh Hall, 3.70
- Iris Raileanu, 3.75
- Elizaveta Sokolova, 3.97
- Judy Ung, 3.60
Student-athletes who achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average, have completed two academic semesters and competed in their sport were eligible to receive the PacWest academic honor. Among the student-athletes honored by the PacWest Conference were:
- Pyper Brown
- Luciana Di Laura
- Kayleigh Hall
- Nozomi Matsuoka
- Iris Raileanu
- Elizaveta Sokolova
- Layna Schwartz
- Judy Ung
Cal State LA (13-8) completed a tremendous 2017 season that featured big wins over No. 6 Hawaii Pacific, Sonoma State (No. 17 at the time) and Point Loma (No. 19 at the time) and two wins over No. 21 Azusa Pacific.
Cal State LA was also ranked fifth in the final NCAA Division II West Region poll. The top three teams from the West – BYU-Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific and Academy of Art – qualified for the NCAA playoffs. BYU-Hawaii advanced to the national semi-finals before suffering its first loss of the season. Barry University won the Division II national title.
Cal State LA recorded its sixth consecutive national top-25 finish and its third top-20 finish in the past six seasons. The Golden Eagles were 23rd in 2016, 17th in 2015, 21st in 2014, 22nd in 2013 and 15th in 2012. The national ranking of 15 in 2012 was the best for the program since being No. 15 in 1995.
Cal State LA is nationally-ranked at the end of six consecutive seasons for the first time since 1991-96.
Cal State LA has a storied women's tennis program that has celebrated success recently with its string of top-25 ITA national rankings. The Golden Eagles have competed in the NCAA Championships nine times and Edna Olivarez won national titles in singles and doubles, with partner Jennifer Choi, in 1990. The program's most famous alum is legendary tennis pro and women's rights activist Billie Jean King, who played for Cal State LA from 1961-64. The athletics complex on campus is named in her honor.
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 28,000 students and has more than 245,000 distinguished alumni.
Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex and the TV, Film and Media Center. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.