Women's Tennis Claims Academic Awards from the ITA

TEMPE, Ariz. – Following an outstanding year in the classroom, the Belmont University women's tennis team has been selected as an All-Academic Team by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). Additionally, six Bruins – Libbie Hamilton, Mia Jones, Jessica Popiol, Hana Sokolovic, Cielo Tapia-Cruz and Savannah Webster – have been named ITA Scholar-Athletes for their exemplary dedication to their studies during the 2025-26 academic year.
 
As a team, Belmont posted a near-perfect 3.8 grade point average during the spring semester. Despite being in their championship season, the Bruins led all Belmont teams in the spring after tallying an impressive 3.58 team GPA during the fall semester.
 
To earn ITA All-Academic Team distinction, a program must hold a team GPA of 3.2 or above for the academic year with all student-athletes listed on the institutional eligibility form included.
 
Hamilton, Popiol, Tapia-Cruz and Webster also garnered College Sports Communicators Academic All-District^® honors in May. Following the season, Hamilton, Tapia-Cruz and Webster secured a spot on the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete Team.
 
A native of Mobile, Alabama (St. Paul's Episcopal School), Hamilton graduated with her bachelor's degree in biology this spring. Meanwhile, rising sophomore Jones, a native of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, owns a 3.73 cumulative GPA as a neuroscience major.
 
Rising junior Popiol from Chicago (Bartlett HS) is majoring in marketing and holds a 3.71 GPA. Sokolovic, who is entering her senior year and is a native of Zagreb, Croatia, continues to maintain an unblemished 4.0 GPA while studying psychological science.
 
Tapia-Cruz, a native of Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico, is entering her second year in Belmont's Master of Sport Administration program where she has achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA. Playing at the top of the Bruins' singles and doubles lineup this past season and majoring in social work, Webster, who hails from El Segundo, California, has put together a 3.8 GPA.
 
To be eligible for ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition, one must have a GPA of at least 3.5 for the academic year.
 
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