Thursday, May 21, 2015

Tennis Prowess and Academic Excellence


Margaret Anne Smith
The season has drawn to a close but not without highlights, recognition and celebrations.  Jordan Dubin (15), Margaret Anne Smith (17) and Samantha Peikes (18) led the Pioneers in victories for the spring.  The tennis shot-making of Jordan combined with the patience of Margaret Anne and the tenacity of Sam, made for competitive styles that kept the opponents off balance.  The three very different personalities provided harmony and leadership in varied ways this spring all by example.  They used their energies on court perfecting their style of play and being bold in competition.  All three shared qualities of determination and focus that carried them to successful results.  Jordan and Ruth Yi graduate as senior captains of the tennis team and Margaret Anne and Samantha Peikes will take the helm carrying the momentum forward.  Another Dubin, Noa Dubin, will join the ranks as the team approaches the fall season.  Awards voted on by the team members included Sam Peikes for the Most Improved of the Year,  Ruth Yi as the Most Spirited Player and Christine Yee for the Pam Lalmond award exemplifying a fine example of sportsmanship and competition.  The Coaches' Award this year went to Jordan Dubin for her outstanding end-of-season play and her leadership and enthusiasm for Smith tennis
throughout her Smith career.


Academically, Smith Tennis was near the top of all of the Smith teams earning NEWMAC conference, Seven Sisters’ and ITA honors.  Smith Tennis has earned ITA All-Academic team honors each year consistently since 2005!

There were many individual academic honors on the Tennis Team as well.   Jordan Dubin earned respect from the entire athletic department for receiving (with two others) the Sarah Pokora award for the highest GPA in all of athletics for 2014-2015.

NEWMAC academic awards went to Katie Hazen, Kelli Cheung, Margaret Anne Smith, Jordan Dubin, Christine Yee, Ruth Yi, Andrea Tanco.

The ITA scholar-athlete acknowledgements are named during the summer so that information will be forthcoming.  The 2014 recipients for ITA scholar athlete awards were Margaret Anne Smith, Kelli Cheung, Ruth Yi, Andrea Tanco, Isabelle Eyman, Unsa Malik, Jinan Martiuk, Kathryn Dernbach and Jordan Dubin (in absentia).

Congratulations to all Smith tennis players who continue to find a balance between academic and athletics, who understand the importance and the integral part athletics plays in the educational experience and who are able to carry on the Smith College Tennis Team tradition:


Finish strong
Finish together
Encourage one another
All with grace.