Poltavski and Bearcats Receive Academic Awards from ITA

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Denise Poltavski (Woodland Hills, CA/El Camino Real HS) and the Willamette University women's tennis team have received academic honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for the 2013-14 season. Poltavski, a junior this past year, was selected as an ITA Scholar-Athlete, while the Bearcats received the ITA All-Academic Team award.

Qualifications for the ITA Scholar-Athlete award include having at least a 3.5 grade point average (4.0 scale) during the academic year of the award. The ITA All-Academic Team honor requires a cumulative team GPA of at least 3.2 for all players on the team who competed in at least one match.

Poltavski, who is majoring in Biology, achieved a 12-3 record at #2 singles this season. She owns a career record of 34-12 in singles matches during the spring. Poltavski and teammate Sabrina Gutierrez '14 (Newbury Park, CA/Newbury Park HS) were ranked #10 in the West Region of NCAA Division III with record of 13-2, including 11-1 in the Northwest Conference.

This spring, Poltavski was chosen First Team All-NWC for the second year in a row. She was named Second Team All-NWC as a freshman in 2011-12.

"We're striving for our athletes to be excellent in the classroom and on the playing field. Denise is an example of that with her success on the court and in her classes," Head Coach Becky Roberts said. "We have won the team academic award many times, including last season. I'm proud of the team's dedication and efforts."

Roberts recently completed her 14th season with the Bearcats. The Bearcats went 5-9 overall this spring, 3-9 in the NWC. Willamette was one of 85 women's teams in NCAA Division III to receive this year's ITA All-Academic Team award.