Katrin Fischer

BUFFALO, NY - Katrin Fischer (Ternitz, Austria/Borg) and Kristen Ortman (Amherst, NY/Amherst) of the University at Buffalo women's tennis team and Josh Liederman (Queens Village, NY/Benjamin Cardozo) and Joe Popielarczyk (Buffalo, NY/McKinley) of the University at Buffalo men's tennis team were named Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athletes. In addition the UB women's tennis team was named an ITA All-Academic Team.

Fischer, undecided on her major, sports a 3.77 grade point average. Ortman, also undecided, has a 3.52 GPA. The women's tennis team has a 3.26 GPA and was one of only three Mid-American Conference schools (Ball State, Marshall) to earn the distinction.

Kristen Ortman

Liederman is an economics major with a 3.77 GPA, while Popielarczyk carries a 3.76 GPA. This is the second year in a row that both Liederman and Popielarczyk have earned the distinction.

The ITA All-Academic Team award is open to any ITA program that has a cumulative team grade point average of 3.20 or above (on a 4.00 scale). All eligible student-athletes whose names appear on the NCAA/NAIA/NJCAA eligibility form and have competed in one or more varsity matches must average into the GPA for the current academic year (including fall 2003 and spring 2004).