GILBERT, Ariz. -- The Bates women's tennis program has been recognized for their success in the classroom, as announced Wednesday by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The Bobcats were named an NCAA Division III ITA All-Academic Team, while eight individuals earned ITA Scholar-Athlete honors. 

To be named an ITA All-Academic team, a team must achieve a grade point average of 3.2 or above (on a 4.00 scale). To be named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, one must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year. 

Eight Bobcats reached that threshold this year, with Grace LaFountain '26 (New Hartford, N.Y.), Elise Hepburn '27 (Vero Beach, Fla.), Olivia Gidlow '25 (Cleveland), Drew Williams '25 (Guilford, Conn.), Iris Westmoreland '27 (New Orleans), Isabella Saul '26 (Brooklyn, N.Y.), co-captain Lizzie Frekko '25 (Lake Forest, Ill.), and Ava Steinberger '27 (Hockessin, Del.) all being named ITA Scholar-Athletes. 

All eight Bobcats are repeat honorees, while Gidlow, Williams, and Frekko finish their Bates careers as four-time winners. 

"It's great to see the ITA recognize the hard work our players put in academically," head coach Deepak Sharma said. "It's especially impressive given the demanding schedule they face on court." 

Within the sport of tennis, student-athletes continue to exceed expectations in the classroom and on the court. In 2025, 1,269 Division III women's student-athletes were named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, and 165 women's tennis programs were awarded the All-Academic Team distinction.

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing men's and women's varsity tennis at all levels – NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College.