May 22, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt tennis players Ryan Preston and Catherine Newman were named to the second team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV men’s and women’s at-large teams, respectively, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday.
A native of Northbrook, Ill., Preston graduated from Vanderbilt this past May with a GPA of 3.67 in economics. Preston was one of 10 males selected to the second team All-District IV Team.
Earlier this season, Preston earned first team All-SEC honors, becoming just the fourth player in school history to earn three All-SEC honors. Vanderbilt’s No. 1 singles player the past three years, Preston concluded the 2007-08 season with a 15-17 overall record after losing to top-seeded Somdev Devvarman of Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Singles Championship on Wednesday.
In the classroom, Preston is also a three-time selection to the SEC Academic Honor Roll, a two-time ITA All-American scholar and a six-time member of VU’s Dean’s List.
The last Vanderbilt men’s tennis player to earn Academic All-America honors was Chris Groer in 1996.
Newman, a sophomore on the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team, has excelled both on and off the court. She has compiled a GPA of 3.9 while majoring in civil engineering and has also been instrumental in the success of her team. She was one of 10 females selected to the All-District IV Team.
Playing at the second singles and doubles positions, Newman was a big key to Vanderbilt’s 20-6 season and its 10th straight appearance in the NCAA round of 16. The Greensboro, N.C., native clinched Vanderbilt’s comeback victory over Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a three-set victory over Carolina Escamilla. Newman finished her sophomore year with a 25-12 singles record and a 23-12 record in doubles. She was named second team All-SEC after finishing with a 6-5 record in SEC play and a 15-8 dual match record.
Off the court, Newman has been named to the Dean’s List every semester she has been at Vanderbilt. She was also named to the 2007 SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll.
Newman becomes the first Vanderbilt women’s tennis player to be named an Academic All-American since Annie Menees was named to the third team in 2004.
Because Preston and Newman were not first team selections, they will not be on the national Academic All-America ballot. For more information on the Vanderbilt tennis teams, log on to vucommodores.com.
