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Friday, December 12, 2008

UW's Venise Chan pronounced 2008 ITA Scholar-Athlete
By Andy Yanne @ 3:24 PM :: 782 Views ::

After an action-packed rookie season that almost saw her complete a sweep of the traditional Pac-10 powerhouses at number one singles, Venise Chan (Washington), along with three other players on the Husky women's tennis team, were honoured by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association for their academic distinction as ITA Scholar-Athletes.

Accordingly, in order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status, a player must meet the following criteria:

1. Varsity letter winner
2. Minimum grade point average of 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and
3. Enrolled at their present university for a minimum of two semesters

The University of Washington's women's tennis team as a whole was also named an All-Academic Team. The criteria for the team award is bestowed on schools that are able to attain a minimum collective grade point average of 3.20.

The last player from Hong Kong to attain ITA Scholar-Athlete (Division I) standing was former Michigan captain Brian Hung, who did so for three successive years from 2005-07.

From Classroom to Court…

Having featured exclusively at the one spot for UW during her freshman year, Venise conjured scintillating victories against Berkeley No. 1 Suzi Babos, USC No. 1 Lindsey Nelson, and Arizona State No. 1 Nadia Abdala.

Babos had won the most recent two editions of the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championships and became only the third woman in the history of the event to win back-to-back titles. She was also the 2006 NCAA Singles Champion and the ITA National Rookie of the Year in 2004.

Nelson, on the other hand, was a two-time Honda Award finalist, three-time ITA All-American, an ITA College All-Star, and a member of USTA's Summer Collegiate Team. She began with a preseason ranking of No. 2 last year and was the reigning Pac-10 singles champion when she lost to Venise in that dual match between USC and Washington.

Back in April against 12th-ranked Arizona State in what was UW's last home game of the season, with the overall score deadlocked at 3-3, Venise saved two match points to beat opposing number one, Nadia Abdala, in a final set tiebreak, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(5), to clinch a roller-coaster 4-3 victory.

Furthermore, Venise had battled Stanford No. 1 and 4th-ranked Pac-10 Rookie of the Year, Hilary Barte, to a standstill before losing in a third-set super-tiebreak, 6-1, 6-7, [10-5]. Moreover, she had led 3-0 in the deciding set and was truly on her way to beating UCLA No. 1 and Pac-10 Player of the Year, Riza Zalameda, when a pulled abdominal muscle allowed her opponent to escape with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 decision.

At the meantime…

NCAA No. 37 Venise Chan is to contest the women's singles qualifying at the 2008 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championship, which will take place starting September 30 at the Riviera Tennis Club in the Pacific Palisades out west in Los Angeles. With reference to both the maindraw selections issued by the ITA and the 2007-08 season's final rankings, 16 of the Top 20-ranked players will be making their presence felt at the season-opening collegiate major.

In addition, Venise, by virtue of her ranking, is also seventh on the alternate list for the maindraw singles.

While defending Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championship winner Suzi Babos had graduated from Berkeley, reigning ITA National Intercollegiate Indoors Champion and No. 1-ranked Aurelija Miseviciute (Arkansas), as well as 2008 NCAA Singles Champion and 3rd-ranked Amanda McDowell (Georgia Tech) will be amongst those vying for the 2008 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championship.

Venise and new Husky recruit, Lina Xu, a transfer from Jacksonville, are down on the alternates list for prequalifying doubles, while former Hong Kong resident, Lauren McHale, who will begin her collegiate exploits as a freshman at Princeton, will also contest the prequalies doubles with teammate Rachel Saiontz.

Lauren McHale will also be gunning for a place in the maindraw via the prequalifying singles.