FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mark Albanese, Assistant Sports Information Director, 630-637-5324

ITA Academic Award Winners

July 18, 2011-- For the third consecutive season, the North Central College men's tennis program has secured the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team Award while seven individuals were named ITA Scholar-Athletes for their success on the court and in the classroom.

Jesse Adamson, Matt Boguslawski, Adam Ciccone, Josh Clay, Naveed Heydari, Eric McKee and Rustam Saini were all honored as ITA Scholar-Athletes for the 2010-2011 academic year. It was the largest number of academic honorees for the men's program in school history after three student-athletes earned the award in both 2008-2009 and 2009-2010.

The Cardinals were one of just 28 NCAA Division III institutions to be honored with the All-Academic Team Award and were the lone College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin school to earn the award. 2010-2011 is the third straight season North Central has earned the All-Academic Team Award, also earning the distinction during the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 academic years. The 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 eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the GPA for the current academic year.

Adamson earned his first ITA award after compiling an 0-1 record in No. 6 singles and a 1-0 record at No. 3 doubles for the Cardinals.

Boguslawski, a three-time CCIW champion at No. 1 doubles, claims his second Scholar Athlete Honor in 2010-2011. The junior political science major posted a 13-8 record in singles, splitting time at the No. 1 and No. 2 positions while recording a 16-7 record at No. 1 doubles while earning a Second Team All-CCIW honors.

Ciccone earns his first Scholar Athlete nod after posting a 1-1 mark at No. 6 singles and a 6-10 record splitting time between the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions.

Clay captures his third straight Scholar Athlete Award in 2010-2011. The junior mathematics major compiled a 14-9 record in singles, splitting time at the No. 5 and No. 6 spots while finishing with a 5-6 doubles record.

Heydari earns his first honor after posting a 5-1 record in singles play during the fall and a 2-1 mark in doubles action.

McKee, an actuarial science major, earns his third ITA honor after posting an 8-14 mark in singles and a 7-16 record in doubles at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions.

Saini, an accounting and finance major, lands his first ITA award after posting a 1-0 record in doubles play at the No. 3 position.

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.

The Cardinals closed out the 2011 season with a 10-11 overall record, posting a 2-3 record in CCIW play while placing fifth at the conference tournament.