Aug. 9, 2004

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette's women's tennis team has claimed All-Academic Team honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The Leopards are one of 83 NCAA Division I teams to earn the distinction, which requires the team's collective grade-point average to be at least 3.20. Lafayette's GPA was 3.39 for the 2003-04 academic year. "These kids are a very hardworking, focused group," said second-year head coach Eric Ratchford. "Academics are always first for them, which is the way it should be." Five Leopards, three women and two men, also earned ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition for the 2003-04 academic year. Ali Kelley (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Catholic), Danielle Bailey (Kalispell, Mont./Flathead) and Lisa Fung-Kee-Fung (Westmoorings, Trinidad/International School Port of Spain) represented the women's team, while Andrew Mott (Corpus Christi, Texas/Mary Carroll) and Brian Schubert (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin) made the men's list. Kelley, an Art and Psychology double major, graduated from Lafayette in May with a career singles record of 47-24. Bailey, a Government and Law major, was 4-1 in singles action last season. Fung-Kee-Fung, a Biology major, was 8-4 in singles a year ago and is one of the Leopards' top returning players. A geology major, Mott had a breakout freshman season in which he immediately rose to the top of the Leopards' lineup. He finished 14-10, including 6-1 at No. 2 singles. Schubert, a steady contributor throughout his career, graduated in May with a degree in Geology. Lafayette's men's team opens the 2004-05 season on Sept. 11, hosting La Salle at noon. The women open on Sept. 19, visiting Delaware State at noon.