GILBERT, Ariz. -- The Bates women's tennis team was recognized on Wednesday for their academic excellence by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, both as a group and with nine individuals picking up ITA Scholar-Athlete awards.

The Bobcats were named an ITA All-Academic Team, as they achieved a team grade point overage of over 3.2 and nine Bates women's tennis players were recognized as ITA Scholar-Athletes thanks to their GPAs of at least 3.5.

Engineering major Avni Bakre '29 (London, England), biology major Hannah Farber '29 (North Easton, Mass.), philosophy / studio art double major Emelyn Harris '29 (Indianapolis, Ind.), German major Elise Hepburn '27 (Vero Beach, Fla.), physics / theater technology design double major and team captain Grace LaFountain '26 (New Hartford, N.Y.), sociology major and team captain Isabella Saul '26 (Brooklyn, N.Y.), philosophy major Ava Steinberger '27 (Hockessin, Del.), biology major Lia Swire '29 (Sudbury, Mass.), and politics major and team captain Iris Westmoreland '27 (New Orleans, La.) all earned ITA Scholar-Athlete awards.

Saul graduates from Bates as a four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete honoree. A Bates Senior Scholar Award-winner, Saul was twice named to the College Sports Communicators Women's Tennis Academic All-District® Team, and was a three-time NESCAC Spring All-Academic selection. Her fellow senior captain LaFountain graduates as a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete, a Bates Senior Scholar Award-winner, a two-time NESCAC Spring All-Academic selection, and a member of this year's College Sports Communicators Women's Tennis Academic All-District® Team.