FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
Complete Release

August 17, 2009-- The Intercollegiate Tennis Association announced its 2009 academic awards with the North Central College men's tennis squad among the 35 teams named to the All-Academic Team while Josh Clay, Eric McKee and Ben Youel were honored as Scholar-Athletes.

The Cardinals were the lone College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin squad to earn All-Academic honors, achieving above a 3.2 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as a team.

Clay was named a Scholar-Athlete after compiling a 13-9 record playing at the No. 4 singles position while McKee finished the season 7-13, playing primarily at the No. 3 singles spot. Youel finished the year 9-5 after spending the start of the season with the wrestling squad.

To be eligible for the Scholar-Athlete Award, student athletes must be a varsity letterwinner, maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA for the academic year and be enrolled at his current college for at least two semesters.

North Central concluded the 2009 season with their best record this decade, compiling a 14-9 overall mark while finishing fifth in the CCIW with a 2-3 mark.