Wellesley Winter/Spring Teams Earn Academic Recognitions

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Five Wellesley College winter and spring teams recently earned national academic honors.  The swimming and diving team was recognized for their efforts in the classroom in the winter season, while the lacrosse, softball, tennis, and track and field teams were honored for the spring season.

The College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) recognized the Wellesley swimming and diving team as one of the Division III Scholar All-American teams. The Team Scholar All-American award is presented to college and university swimming and diving teams, who have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher.  In the spring semester, the Blue swimming and diving team had a cumulative team GPA of 3.28.

The Wellesley track and field team received the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III All-Academic honors.  The team had a cumulative GPA of 3.26.  In order to qualify for the award, teams must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Two members of the Wellesley track team also received individual recognition.  Randelle Boots ’13 and Cristina Lucas ‘13 were named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team for their performance in the spring season.  To qualify for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Track and Field Team, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have an NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying marks in an individual or relay event. Participation in an NCAA Championship also fulfills the athletic component of All-Academic qualification.

Boots was the 2011 NCAA Division III National Champion in the mile. She was also named to both the All-American and All-Region teams for both cross country and track. Lucas took second in the 1,500 meter run at the NEWMAC Championships, earning All-Conference honors. She took ninth overall in the 1,500 meter run at the New England Division III Championships and then placed 17^th overall at the New England Intercollegiate Championships.  Lucas was named to the All-Region track team.

The Wellesley softball team earned a cumulative GPA of 3.37 to receive recognition as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-academic team.  To qualify for the award, a team must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.  Blue softball players also received individual honors for their work in the classroom. Megan Townsend ’11, Kimberly Cabral ’13, Alicia Briggs ’13, Sarah Del Balzo ’13, and Taylor Yamauchi ’13 were named NFCA Scholar Athletes. To earn recognition as NFCA Scholar Athletes, a student-athlete must achieve a 3.5 or better GPA on a 4.0 scale.

The International Tennis Association (ITA) recognizes team academic achievement by awarding the ITA All-Academic Team award.  The 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/CA JUCO eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the GPA for the current academic year.  The Wellesley tennis team was named an ITA All-Academic team for holding a cumulative GPA of 3.34 in their spring season.

Four tennis players were named as ITA Scholar-Athletes.  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 two semesters. Wellesley tennis players receiving the honor were Nathalie Herman ’11, Raji Nagalla ’14, Jacqueline Shen ’11, and Kendall Tada ’14.

The Wellesley lacrosse team was recognized by the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) as a 2011 IWLCA Academic Squad.  To qualify for recognition, a team must have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher for the 2010-11 academic year. 

In addition to the lacrosse team award, two individuals were honored as IWLCA Scholar-Athletes. Jenny Holland '11 and Meredith Roy '11 represented the Blue on the prestigious list.