Aug. 17, 2007

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Two members of the 2006-07 Lady Tiger tennis team earned academic honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) it was announced Friday. Graduated senior Christina Wieser and rising sophomore Dara Toulch were each named ITA Scholar Athletes for having a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher during the 2006-07 academic year.

Wieser recently capped her four-year Lady Tiger career with a pair of degrees in hand, her bachelor's degree in marketing and an MBA degree. She battled off-season knee surgery in her senior season, missing the entire fall schedule and posting a 3-13 mark in dual season singles play in the spring.

Toulch wrapped up her first year in Memphis, capping a 3-6 fall tournament slate by playing No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles as a true freshman. Toulch is the first Memphis freshman to win the award since Andrea Feichtinger (the only four-time ITA Scholar Athlete in Memphis history) won it in 2003.

The individual honors have been won 14 times now by nine different Lady Tiger student-athletes. Previous winners include Laura Hughes (2001, 2002), Christina Ladyman (2001), Sabrina Lindemann (2002, 2003), Marlene Dirnsdorfer (2003, 2004), Andrea Feichtinger (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), Rebecca Garner (2003), Christina Wieser (2004, 2007), and Dara Toulch (2007).

The University of Memphis women's tennis team, under the direction of first year head coach Lee Taylor Walker, will open its 2007-08 schedule at the Ole Miss Invitational, Sept. 14-16th.