GREENWOOD, Ind. – Three Belmont University men's tennis student-athletes have been named Academic All-District
® as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), formerly College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Announced by the organization last week,
Tomas Luis,
Ian Cruz and
Gabriel Sardo have all landed a spot on the 2024 CSC Academic All-District
® Men's Tennis Team.
The CSC Academic All-District
® Men's Tennis Teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America
® program separately awards tennis honorees in four divisions – NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III and the NAIA.
Select Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Both Luis and Cruz have been selected as CSC Academic All-America finalists and have advanced to the national ballot, which is voted on by CSC members. First, second and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced on Wednesday, June 5.
Owning a 3.81 cumulative grade point average as a business administration major, Luis is a repeat CSC Academic All-District honoree and earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete distinction last summer. A Horizon League All-Academic Team selection this past season, Luis became the Bruins' all-time winningest singles player in the regular season finale against Tennessee Tech. With 75 career singles victories, Luis was named Belmont Male Athlete of the Year at the annual Bruins' Choice Awards. The Tavira, Portugal (Escola Secundária de Fonseca Benevides), native landed a spot on the All-Horizon League First Team this spring and is a four-time all-conference performer. Luis was also a finalist for the Horizon League Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award and finished the year 15-3 at No. 2 singles.
Recently graduating with his bachelor's degree in business administration, Cruz completed his undergraduate studies with a 3.88 cumulative GPA. Like Luis, Cruz is a repeat CSC Academic All-District selection and garnered ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition last summer. A Horizon League All-Academic honorable mention pick, Cruz completed his Belmont career an unblemished 17-0 in conference singles matches. The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Colégio Ao Cubo), native secured a spot on the All-Horizon League First Team and swept the league's singles and doubles player of the week awards on April 10. Cruz is a three-time all-conference choice and led the Bruins in singles wins this year, going 22-5 overall and 15-3 at No. 3 singles.
Graduating in early May with his bachelor's degree in business systems and analytics, Sardo finished with a 3.83 cumulative GPA. An ITA Scholar-Athlete, Sardo is a Horizon League Academic Honor Roll member and Belmont Dean's List regular. The Oswego, Illinois (Oswego HS), native tallied 13 singles wins in 2023-24, went 5-2 at the No. 6 spot this spring and was a perfect 4-0 in Horizon League action. The tandem of Sardo and Luis put together a 5-1 record at No. 3 doubles.
To be nominated for the CSC Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be in the lineup for 70 percent of the team's total dual matches played and must have at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale). Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically.
For more information about the CSC Academic All-District
® and Academic All-America
® Teams program, visit
AcademicAllAmerica.com.
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