UMO trio receives academic all-district laurels

MOUNT OLIVE – The University of Mount Olive women’s tennis program showcased three players on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, as junior Jessica Aylward, senior Liza Voloshyna and senior Nele Weber garnered the accolade.

The 2023 Academic All-District Women’s Tennis Teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America program separately recognizes women’s tennis honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

With this honor, all three individuals are eligible for consideration on the CSC Academic All-American Team that will be announced on Thursday, June 1.

Aylward, from Durban, South Africa, competed primarily at No. 6 singles and in the third position in doubles play for the Trojans this season. The two-sport athlete, who also plays for the field hockey team, was featured in 18 singles matches. Alongside teammate Laura Servien, Aylward registered a 9-8 record at No. 3 doubles with a 4-3 mark in conference play. She maintains a 3.92 grade-point-average while pursuing a degree in graphic design.

A recent graduate from Kherson, Ukraine, Voloshyna played in the second slot in singles play while competing at No. 1 doubles this year. She was named the Tournament MVP at the Conference Carolinas Championship as the Trojans captured their second straight league title. Voloshyna was featured in 23 singles matches and tallied three wins in conference play. At No. 1 doubles with Weber, she held an 18-5 overall record with a 6-2 mark in league matches. Voloshyna held a 3.82 GPA and recently received her degree in exercise science.

Weber, from Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, was featured primarily in the fourth position for singles action while playing No. 1 doubles for Mount Olive. She produced a 12-8 record this season in the fourth slot while registering a 4-3 mark in conference action. Alongside Voloshyna in first doubles, Weber helped the duo record nearly 20 wins and victories in seven of their final 10 matches to close out the championship season. Weber boasted a 3.96 GPA and graudated with her degree in sports communication.

To qualify for the academic all-district honors, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and in athletic eligibility, maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher, and have played at least 50 percent of the team’s matches. Additionally, each institution is capped at four nominees in the sport of women’s tennis.

— From University of Mount Olive Athletics