ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College's Blake Thompson has been named the 2011 South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete for Women's Tennis announced league officials Tuesday. The All-SAC Teams were also announced and Thompson garnered Second Team honors for the first time in her career.
Thompson, a 5-9 senior from Bristol, Tenn., becomes the third player in the program's history to earn this prestigious honor that recognizes athletic excellence, academic achievement, community service and leadership.
Thompson is majoring in pre-medicine and has a 3.61 cumulative grade point average. She has been on the Tusculum Dean's List every semester, as well as the Charles Oliver Gray honor list. In 2008, she was recognized as the Tusculum Academic Freshman of the Year for having the highest GPA.
During her tennis career, Thompson has recorded 92 career victories in singles and doubles, including 36 conference wins. She had a 22-match winning streak in singles from 2009 to 2010. She has helped Tusculum to two conference championships and one tournament title. The Tennessee High School graduate has been named an ITA Scholar-Athlete three times.
Thompson has volunteered with Special Olympics, Greeneville Food Pantry, Santa Pal Program, Adopt-A-Family, at a local soup kitchen, and assisted with remodeling a day care center. She also volunteered at a Wellmont Hospital in Bristol, Tenn., where she shadowed doctors and helped organize patient charts.
The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes one student-athlete in each of its 14 sports programs and represents a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement and participation in community service and leadership. The award is selected by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives.
Tusculum and SAC Hall of Famer Lesley Murray earned Scholar Athlete honors in back-to-back seasons (2003 & 2004), while Jobria McCracken garnered the award in 2005.
The SAC Tennis Awards will be presented on Thursday after the men's semifinal matches at the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tennis Tournament at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C.
The Pioneers (11-8) are the sixth seed in this year's SAC Tournament and will face No. 3 seed Brevard College on Wednesday at 1 p.m. in a quarterfinal match.
Tusculum is seeking its third Food Lion SAC Tournament championship. The Pioneers claimed its first title in 2004 and won its most-recent crown in 2008. Last year, Tusculum advanced to the championship match but lost 5-3 to Lincoln Memorial University.
- SAC -
2011 All-South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis
Team
First Team
Lauren Trumbull, Anderson
Lindsay Hostetter, Brevard
Lindsay Shaeffer, Brevard
Leah Donoff, Lincoln Memorial
Sofia Lopez Mimendi, Lincoln Memorial
Erika Pinate, Mars Hill
Ali Evers, Wingate
Kara Stasikelis, Wingate
Second Team
Claire Dillman, Brevard
Taryn Cappadona, Carson-Newman
Kasia Zielinski, Catawba
Emily Mauser, Lenoir-Rhyne
Alexandra Granger, Lincoln Memorial
Tatiana Dualiby, Mars Hill
Blake Thompson, Tusculum
Morgan Winston, Wingate
Olivia Poole, Wingate
SAC Player of the Year - Erika Pinate, Mars Hill
SAC Freshman of the Year - Ali Evers, Wingate
SAC Coach of the Year - Michael Cabana, Wingate
SAC Scholar-Athlete - Blake Thompson, Tusculum
