Four members of the Penn State Altoona tennis teams were recognized for their success in the classroom on Tuesday, May 14, being named to the College Sports Communicators’ NCAA Division III Academic All-District teams.
From the Penn State Altoona women’s tennis team, Isabella Rhoades, of Tyrone, Lauren Stich, of Ellwood City, and Rachel Stricek, of Tyrone, earned spots on the CSC’s DIII Academic All-District team. On the men’s side, Casey Hess, of Annville, took a spot on the CSC DIII Academic All-District squad.
NORTH BOSTON, N.Y. — Four members of the Penn State Altoona women’s tennis program were voted to spots on the All-Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference team, which was announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Head coach Mark Sapita was voted the AMCC’s co-Coach of the Year, while student-athletes Lexi Colaianni, of Pittsburgh; Daniel Fulton, of Milford, Delaware; and Abigail Morgan, of Orrville, Ohio, were all voted to places on the All-Conference team.
Sapita, in his second year with the women’s tennis program, guided the Lions to a 7-10 overall record this fall, including a 3-2 mark within the AMCC that placed the team third in the conference’s regular season standings. Penn State Altoona’s total of seven wins was its most since 2019, and the Lions earned a berth to the AMCC postseason tournament, where they suffered a loss to eventual champion Penn State Behrend in the semifinal round.
Meanwhile, three Lions combined to earn four selections to the All-AMCC squad:
First Team
Daniel Fulton, No. 5 singles: Fulton posted a 6-5 overall record in the No. 5 singles position this season, including going 3-0 against AMCC opponents in that spot. The first-year student-athlete’s conference wins at No. 5 came against Carlow University, Penn State Behrend, and Mount Aloysius College. Overall this season at all singles positions, Fulton tied for third on the team in wins (seven) while going 4-0 in AMCC matches.
Lexi Colaianni, No. 6 singles: Colaianni compiled an 8-3 overall record in No. 6 singles matches in her first season with the Lions, including a 3-0 record in the AMCC in that position. Her conference victories at No. 6 came over Carlow, Penn State Behrend, and Mount Aloysius. Colaianni led Penn State Altoona this season in overall singles wins (11) and went 4-0 in the AMCC, and she was also voted the conference Player of the Week on Sept. 3.
Second Team
Abigail Morgan, No. 4 singles: Morgan was 7-7 in all of her No. 4 singles matches this year, including a 3-1 record in the AMCC in that position. Her conference wins came against Carlow, Mount Aloysius, and Pitt-Greensburg. Morgan’s seven overall singles wins tied for the third-most on the Lions this season, and her three AMCC wins were the second-highest total on her team.
Daniel Fulton/Lexi Colaianni, No. 3 doubles: Playing together in No. 3 doubles matches, Fulton and Colaianni went 6-5 overall, including a 1-1 record in AMCC matches at that spot. The duo defeated their opponents from conference foe Carlow, while also receiving a forfeit win in that spot against Pitt-Greensburg. In all doubles matches together, Fulton and Colaianni combined to post seven wins, the most of any doubles pair this season for the Lions.
