April 8, 2005

LUBBOCK, Texas - The Texas Tech men's tennis team may be ranked No. 10 in the country on the court, but rank first in the classroom among all sports at Tech. The Red Raiders boast a 3.53 team grade point average (GPA) through the 2004 fall semester, which in the highest ever among any team at Texas Tech.

In the last five years, the men's tennis team has averaged at least a 3.06 GPA or better. The team did post back-to-back semesters of 3.50 or better as it had a 3.50 after the spring 2004 semester and a 3.53 after the 2004 fall semester.

The 3.53 GPA is the highest ever for any sport since establishing the current team GPA measurement in 1997. Tech currently has six other teams with a 3.0 or higher GPA through the 2004 fall semester.

Since 1997, the Red Raiders have had nine first team Academic All-Big 12 honorees, including Borut Martincevic, who was a three-time first team Academic All-Big 12 selection (1999, 2000, 2001). Five times there have been student-athletes named either second team or honorable mention Academic All-Big 12.

In 2001, Martincevic was a NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winner, while Royce Ramey and John Walker were Big 12 Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients in 2002, 2003, respectively.

Current Red Raider senior Michael Innerebner is a two-time first team Academic All-Big 12 honoree receiving honors in 2003 and 2004. The 2005 Big 12 academic teams will be announced at the end of April.

Tech, 19-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play, will take on No. 38 Texas tonight, Fri., April 8, at 5:30 p.m., in Austin, and will play at No. 14 Texas A&M tomorrow, Sat., April 9, at 6 p.m. The Red Raiders will return to the McLeod Tennis Center for their last home match of the season on Sat., April 16, as they face No. 1 Baylor at 6 p.m.