Three Tennis Players Awarded for Academic Achievement
8/9/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
CONWAY, S.C. - Coastal Carolina University women’s tennis team members: Marie Matrka (Wilmington Ohio/ Wilmington), Petra Jantti (Haukiverkko Espo, Finland/Tapiolan Lukio) and Sarize Coetzee (Bloemfontein, South Africa/Oranje Meisieskool) were named to the 2005 Scholar Athletes, as announced by the Intercolligate Tennis Association (ITA). The women’s tennis team had an overall grade-point-average of 3.40 for the 2005 season, to earn the ITA's All-Academic Team award for the seventh straight year. In 2005, the Lady Chanticleers finished second in the Big South Conference.
"One of our team’s goals every year is to achieve this national award," CCU's head coach Jody Davis said, "This award is shared by everyone associated with our program and our University."
Matrka, a biology major with a 3.996, was named to ESPN Magazine's First Team Academic All American in 2005. Matrka also was the Big South Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. She was also named the Big South Conferences Women’s Tennis Player of the Year after going 16-4 in singles play and 14-3 in doubles action during the regular season, she is majoring in biology. She also was named the 2005 Coastal Carolina Distinguished Student-Athlete of the Year.
Jantti was named to the All-Big South Second Team this past season. She had a 12-5 singles record this spring at the No. 3 position. Jantti went 6-1 in the Big South and had a seven-match winning streak from March 12-April 5. She is majoring in business management and has a 3.629 grade point average.
Coetzee had a 16-6 record in 2005, including a 6-1 record in the Big South. She was 12-1 in the number five singles slot and teamed with Rosemary Younger to go 14-7 in doubles action. Coetzee is majoring in English at Coastal, currently with a 3.813.
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/NJCAA/CAJUCO eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the GPA for the current academic year (including fall 2004 and spring 2005).
In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status a player must meet the following criteria: 1) be a varsity letter winner, 2) have a grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and 3) have been enrolled at their present school for at least 2 semesters. This award honors freshman through seniors year.
