ITA Release

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The 2019 Saint John's University tennis team and three Johnnies received academic honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) on Thursday, July 18. 

The 11-man SJU tennis team combined for a 3.32 GPA, surpassing the 3.20 requirement, during the 2018-19 academic year to earn the ITA All-Academic Team award. 

Three individuals achieved ITA Scholar-Athlete status:

-Sophomore Thomas Gillach (Lindstrom, Minn./Chisago Lakes), a psychology major with a 3.94 GPA;
-Sophomore Nate Jordre (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech), a computer science major with a 3.80 GPA;
-Senior Hunter Krebsbach (St. Paul, Minn./Mounds View), an accounting major with a 3.70 GPA.

In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status, a player must be a varsity letter winner and have a grade-point average of 3.50 or better for the current academic year.

All three Johnnies earned Academic All-MIAC distinction in June, the third consecutive for Krebsbach. He registered a 6-3 MIAC record (7-9 overall) this spring in singles competition, including a 5-2 mark at No. 5, and went 7-9 (5-4 MIAC) in doubles play.

Gillach achieved All-MIAC honors in both singles and doubles competition for the second consecutive season in 2019. He led SJU in singles wins (12) and posted a 6-3 record in conference play. Gillach (14-6 overall) and Jordre (12-2) went 12-2 with an 11-1 record (6-1 MIAC) at No. 1 doubles. The duo won nine of their last 10 matches, including an 8-6 upset of Carleton's Jordon O'Kelly and Leo Vithoontien, who ended the season ranked No. 23 nationally, May 2 in the MIAC semifinals. Like Gillach, the All-MIAC distinction in doubles play was the second straight for Jordre, who also ended the season with a 4-8 record (3-4 MIAC) at No. 1 singles.

SJU tied for third in the MIAC with a 6-3 record (9-9 overall) to earn its fourth consecutive trip to the MIAC Playoffs and 10th in the last 13 seasons. Head coach Jack Bowe completed his 22nd season and was named the MIAC Steve Wilkinson Coach of the Year for the second time.