Norse Earn ITA Academic Awards
August 17, 2007
The Luther College men’s tennis team has been named to the 2007 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-Academic Team award.
To achieve this honor, a team must have a cumulative team grade point average of 3.20 or above on a 4.0 scale. All eligible student-athletes whose names appear on the NCAA III eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the team grade point average.
The men’s team was one of 38 teams from the NCAA Division III to earn this honor and the only school in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) named to the list.
Five members of the team also received individual honors and were named ITA Scholar-Athletes.
To achieve this honor, an athlete must be a varsity letter winner, have a grad point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale, and been enrolled at the present school for at least two semesters (including freshman through senior year).
The five individuals included senior Bjorn Hanson (Middleton, Wis.), juniors Matt Olson (St. Paul, Minn./Como Park), Brad Nelson (Northfield, Minn.), Jared Wiklund (Duluth, Minn.), and sophomore Thomas Orser (Keller, Texas). Hanson, Olson and Orser were repeat recipients of this prestigious award.
The ITA academic awards completed a record setting season. The Norse captured the Iowa Conference championship for a record 27th time and first under the direction of three-time Iowa Coach of the Year Brian Huinker. Following a second round loss in the NCAA III National Tournament, Luther concluded the year with a school record 29 wins against seven losses.
