TEMPE, Ariz. – A championship season continues to produce honors for Alabama A&M men's tennis, this time on the academic side with five selections to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete Team as announced by that organization on Tuesday, July 13.
Earning those honors for the Bulldogs were junior
Rodrigo Arana Rios (Playa Del Carmen, Mexico), sophomore
Natiphat Mulada (Korat, Thailand), junior
Panji Setiawan (South Jakarta, Indonesia) and senior
Fermin Ruiz Crespo (Mollina, Spain) and his brother junior
German Ruiz Crespo (Mollina, Spain).
In order to be named an ITA Scholar-Athlete an individual must maintain at least a 3.5 Grade Point Average for the duration of the current academic year and be a full member of the program.
Additionally, A&M made it three straight years earning ITA All-Academic Team honors as a unit. This requires the team to have at least a 3.2 GPA for the year, a mark that encompasses anyone who is listed as an official member of the program during the year.
It is the fourth year in program history that the Bulldogs have had at least one selection, with the first coming in 2012-13. Last year they delivered a program record six individuals with four this year's five honorees among that group.
Arana Rios and
Fermin Ruiz Crespo have earned a spot on the team in each of the past three years with Setiawan earning the recognition over the past two seasons.
"These are the academic standards we demand," said head coach
Willis Mbandi. "These players have gladly accepted the challenge and I'm very proud of them."
With the five selections this year, A&M has now earned 14 of their 16 all-time honors in the past three seasons.
ALABAMA A&M MEN'S ITA SCHOLAR ATHLETE HISTORY (16/8 INDIVIDUALS)
%Indicates Team Academic Award
2020-21 (5)%
Rodrigo Arana Rios
Natiphat Mulada
Fermin Ruiz Crespo
German Ruiz Crespo
Panji Setiawan
2019-20 (6)%
Rodrigo Arana Rios
Cristian Bigott
Fermin Ruiz Crespo
German Ruiz Crespo
Panji Setiawan
Austin Smith
2018-19 (3)%
Rodrigo Arana Rios
Fermin Ruiz Crespo
Nishangan Nadaraja
2017-18 (0)
N/A
2016-17 (0)
N/A
2015-16 (0)
N/A
2014-15 (0)
N/A
2013-14 (0)
N/A
2012-13 (2)
Dominique Alexander
Desta Sandy
2011-12 (0)
N/A
2010-11 (0)
N/A
2009-10 (0)
N/A
2008-09 (0)
N/A
2007-08 (0)
N/A
2006-07 (0)
N/A
2005-06 (0)
N/A
2004-05 (0)
N/A
2003-04 (0)
N/A
