By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Although COVID-19 kept the Tennessee Tech tennis team from defending yet another Ohio Valley Conference title in 2020, the Golden Eagles shifted their focus to the classroom and the results have spoken for themselves yet again.

After helping Tech Athletics post a historical and record-breaking GPA during the spring, the tennis team was recognized for its academic achievement throughout the year, earning recognition as a 2019-20 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Men's All-Academic Team. The honor is presented annually to schools that post a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or above (on a 4.0 scale).

Five Tech student-athletes, including Evzen Holis, Fanis Kontopoulos, Riku Kubota, Caio Reuter and Lucca Silva, were named to the list of ITA Scholar-Athletes. In order to be named to the ITA Scholar-Athletes' list, the student-athlete must have been listed on the institutional eligibility form and have a GPA of at least 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for the current academic year.

"I am very proud of each of our student-athletes for their work on the court and in the classroom this past year, particularly with the challenges that surrounded this past semester," Tech head coach Kenny Doyle said. "Each of our young men are more than deserving of these honors."

A total of 979 male Division I student-athletes were named an ITA Scholar-Athlete and 186 men's tennis programs were awarded the All-Academic Team distinction.

The ITA is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing men's and women's varsity tennis for NCAA Divisions I, II and II, NAIA and junior/community college.

Photo by Thomas Corhern