Marshall University Athletics
Stephanie Smith Named to Conference USA All-Academic Team
4/17/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
IRVING, Texas - Senior Stephanie Smith has been named to the 2018 InTouch Credit Union Conference USA Women's Tennis All-Academic Team, the league office announced Wednesday afternoon.
Smith has a 3.70 GPA as a sports marketing and management major and will graduate in the summer.
"It's great to see Stephanie get recognized with such a prestigious award," head coach John Mercer said. "I'm very proud of the academic excellence that she and her teammates embody. The fact that this team and 16 of the last 18 teams have been named ITA All-Academic teams with a 3.2 or higher GPA speaks volumes of the commitment that our student-athletes and the Buck Harless program have made to academics."
Smith becomes the fifth Herd player to earn Conference USA All-Academic honors. This is also the third consecutive season a Herd player has appeared on the All-Academic Team, as Derya Turhan was an All-Academic member in 2016 and 2017.
A two-time Conference USA Commissioner's Honor Roll selection (2017 and 2018), Smith is a two-time ITA Scholar Athlete (2015 at Indiana, 2017 at Marshall), a part of three ITA All-Academic teams (2015 and 2016 at Indiana, 2017 at Marshall) and a 2016 All-Academic Big Ten honoree at Indiana in her only eligible season.
2018 InTouch Credit Union Women's Tennis All-Academic Team
Aliona Bolsova, FAU, So., Paladrugell, Spain | 3.8 GPA in history
Stephanie Smith, Marshall, Sr., Venetia, Pennsylvania | 3.7 GPA in sport management
*Lindsey Hodge, Rice, Sr., Roswell, Georiga | 4.02 GPA in sport management, business minor
Wendy Zhang, Rice, Sr., Richmond, Canada | 3.82 GPA in sport management, business minor
Tjasa Jerse, Southern Miss, Jr., Medvode, Slovenia | 3.873 GPA in international business
Elpida Malamou, WKU, Gr. Sr., Ioannina, Greece | 3.8 GPA in sport management
* denotes a repeat honoree
Smith has appeared in all 22 matches this season for the Herd, playing the last 18 matches at the No. 1 spot. The Venetia, Pennsylvania native leads the Herd with 11 singles wins, including all three of Marshall's wins over ranked opponents. Smith defeated ranked opponents in consecutive matches for the first time in her career during the Herd's spring break trip to Las Vegas and garnered Marshall's first Conference USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week award in seven years.
Marshall opens its Conference USA Championship Thursday at noon when it takes on fourth seed Florida Atlantic. The Herd is seeded 13th after a 3-19 regular season.
Players Mentioned
