The 2020-21 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) honored both men and women Azusa Pacific tennis programs as All-Academic teams Tuesday. Both teams excelled in the classroom, meeting the required team cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or higher. Alongside the team awards, 13 members of the Cougar tennis teams were selected as ITA Scholar Athletes.
Six total athletes from Azusa Pacific's women's program were honored, including Katia Betancourt, Carolyn Brooner, Hannah Mulbarger, Courtney Page, Anna Savchenko, and Jacky Wagner. While seven total athletes from Azusa Pacific's men's program were honored, including Leyton Bohren, Ian Lee, Ryan Nuno, Caden Samkutty, Jakob Schnaitter, Sam Sippel, and Albertus du Plessis. Each Cougar recorded an incredible GPA of 3.5 or higher during the 2020-21 academic year.
From the women's team, Betancourt, a sophomore from West Covina, Calif., recorded a grade point average of 3.79 as a Criminal Justice and Accounting double major. On the court, Betancourt appeared in 18 singles matches finishing with a 6-5 overall record (.545) where she competed at the five and six positions. This is her third consecutive season she's been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Brooner, a junior from San Diego, Calif., recorded a grade point average of 3.59 as an Allied Health major. The Sonoma State transfer was named to the All-PacWest Third team and was ranked 13th in the West Region at the end of the season. She finished with an overall record of 24-8 (.750) across singles and doubles. While competing at No. 4 in singles, Brooner was 9-4 (.692) this past season and was 13-4 (.765) in doubles action at No. 2 alongside partner Jacky Wagner.
Mulbarger, a freshman from Woodbridge, Calif., recorded a grade point average of 3.82 as a Marketing major. She did not compete in any events this season but practiced with the team throughout the year.
Page, a junior from Wheaton, Ill., recorded an impressive 3.77 grade point average as an Accounting major. She competed exclusively in double matches where she recorded an overall record of 15-1 (.938) this past season. Page and her partner Madison Kane dominated at the No. 3 position recording a 14-1 (.933) record. This is her fourth consecutive season she's been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Savchenko, a senior from Limassol, Cyprus, recorded a 3.70 grade point average while pursuing her graduate degree in English. In her final year of competition with the Cougars, she went 8-5 in singles at No. 2 and 11-3 in doubles at No. 1. Savchenko was named to Second-Team All-PacWest for her efforts on the singles side while she was named to First Team All-PacWest in doubles alongside partner Petra Ivankovic. The pair ended the year ranked No. 8 nationally. This is Savchenko's third consecutive season she's been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Wagner, a junior from Arnsberg, Germany, recorded the highest GPA on the team of 3.94 as a Psychology major en route to being awarded the PacWest Conference women's tennis Scholar-Athlete of the year. Wagner's success on the court shined in the Cougars first ever PacWest Championship as she earned Most Outstanding Player in the PacWest tournament for her undefeated play in singles and doubles. Her 16-2 singles record (No. 3: 15-2 | No. 2: 1-0) led to her First Team All-PacWest Selection. Teamed up with Carolynn Brooner, Wagner also posted a 14-4 record in doubles (No. 2: 13-4 | No. 1 1-0). This is her third consecutive season she's been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
From the men's program, Bohren, a sophomore from Claremont, Calif., recorded a grade point average of 3.83 as a Biology major. On the court he finished the season with an 8-6 singles record as he was selected to Third Team All-PacWest. (No. 4: 8-5 | No. 3: 0-1). Bohren and Schanitter were recognized as doubles All-Americans and were named to First-Team All-PacWest. The duo ended the season ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the west region. This is his third consecutive season he's been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Lee, a sophomore from La Canada, Calif., recorded a GPA of 3.60 as a Business Management major. Lee finished the season with a 3-8 record in singles play (No. 5: 3-7 | No. 3: 0-1) and was 1-0 in doubles play. This is the second season Lee has been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Nuno, a junior from Sylmar, Calif., recorded a grade point average of 3.72 as an Exercise Science major. Nuno was named to All-PacWest Second-Team in singles and First-Team in doubles alongside partner Sam Sippel. He was ranked No. 10 in the final ITA West Region singles rankings and No. 5 in doubles with Sippel. Nuno posted a 14-3 singles record (No. 3: 12-3 | No. 2: 2-0) and a 19-3 in doubles (No. 2: 14-3 | No. 3: 3-0 | No. 2-0). Across singles and doubles, closed the season with a 33-6 record (.846 winning percentage) and accumulated 17 straight doubles victories with two different partners in a streak that lasted over two months. This is the third consecutive season Nuno has been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Samkutty, a freshman from Portland, Ore., recorded a perfect GPA of 4.00 as an Applied Mathematics major. On the court, he finished the season with a 3-8 record in singles matches (No. 6: 2-6 | No. 5: 0-2 | No. 3: 1-0) and didn't compete in any doubles matches. This is the second consecutive season he has been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Schnaitter, a junior from Wasserburg, Germany, recorded a grade point average of 3.81 as a Business Management major. Schnaitter was named the PacWest Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year and excelled on the court during the 2021 campaign as well. For the second straight season, Schnaitter was named PacWest Player of the Year finishing the season with an 18-1 record in singles. The DII All-American landed a final national ranking of No. 3 in singles. On the doubles side, he finished with a record of 17-3. Across his career he has etched himself in the Cougar record books, finishing second in winning percentage at No. 1 singles (.957), third in singles wins at No. 1 (44) and winning percentage in singles & doubles (.833), and fourth in singles winning percentage (.928). This is the fourth consecutive season Schnaitter has been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
Sippel, a freshman from Nuernberg, Germany, recorded an incredible 3.95 GPA as a Business Economics major. In his first full season with the Cougars, he was named a singles All-American after going 15-2 (No. 2: 14-1 | No. 1: 1-1). He was named to All-PacWest First-Team in singles and doubles. Nationally, he was recognized as the ITA Rookie of the Year and was ranked at No. 14. Sippel was partnered with Ryan Nuno, the pairing finished the 2021 doubles season with a 16-3 record (No. 2: 14-3 | No. 1: 2-0). Across singles and doubles, Sippel posted a 31-5 record and a .861 winning percentage. This is the second straight season he has been honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete.
du Plessis, a freshman from Clovis, Calif., recorded a 3.97 grade point average as a Business Finance major. As a true freshman, du Plessis competed in one singles match winning 8-7 (7-6) and helping the Cougars in their 6-1 win over Colorado Mesa (March 6).
