ITA RELEASE | ITA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES | ITA ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM

TEMPE, Ariz. – Suffolk women's tennis received academic accolades from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) once again as the squad was named an ITA All-Academic Team in addition to six Rams – Nia Bebb, Emily Concepcion, Rachel Hill, Caren Urbano, Amanda Walden and Anastasiya Zakharava -- garnering ITA Scholar-Athlete distinction, the national organization announced.  

To qualify as an ITA All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative team grade point average of 3.2 or above on a 4.0 scale, with each eligible player's average account for in the calculation.  

As a unit, the blue-and-gold posted a 3.584 GPA over 2023-24 en route to Suffolk's furth straight ITA Academic Team Award and seventh overall. The Rams were one of three Commonwealth Coast Conference institutions recognized alongside Endicott and Roger Williams, who were a part of the 167 programs to pick up the feat. For a complete list of the 2023-24 ITA All-Academic Teams, click here.  

Individually, the six Suffolk student-athletes achieved the requirement of a 3.5 grade point average over the academic year to take home the individual recognition. Hill and Zakaharava secured the distinction for the second straight season and second time in their collegiate careers, while Bebb, Concepcion, Urbano and Walden were first-time honorees.  

The six individuals from Suffolk were among 21 CCC student-athletes to earn the accolade. Endicott had the most with nine followed by six from Western New England and the Rams, respectively. Overall, 1,271 NCAA Division III female student-athletes earned a spot on the 2023-24 ITA Scholar-Athlete list. For a full breakdown, click here. 

Suffolk's six selections set a program record, upstaging the previous mark of five, which was achieved last year and in 2018-19. Overall, 20 Rams have accounted for o37 ITA Scholar-Athlete achievements in the Rams' record books with the first such awards coming in 2014-15.