THE FLATS – Georgia Tech women’s tennis placed seven student-athletes on the 2023 All-ACC Academic Team as the Atlantic Coast Conference office announced the honorees on Wednesday. The team recognizes student-athlete successes on the court and in the classroom.
Representing Georgia Tech on the team are Kylie Bilchev (Ipswich, England/Kesgrave), Alejandra Cruz (Mexico City, Mexico/Tec de Monterrey), Monika Dedaj (Pula, Croatia/Juraj Dobrila), Rosie Garcia Gross (New York, N.Y./West Rock Tennis Academy), Mahak Jain (Mumbai, India/Daly College), Carol Lee (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands/Penn Foster) and Kate Sharabura (Atlanta, Ga./Atlanta Classical Academy).
The all-academic team features 85 student-athletes with at least one from each of the ACC’s 14 women’s tennis programs. Minimum academic requirements for selection to the all-ACC academic team are a 3.0 grade point average for the previous semester and a 3.0 cumulative average during one’s academic career. In addition, student-athletes must compete in at least 50 percent of their team’s contests.
Leading the way on the team as two-time honorees are Bilchev, Lee and Sharabura. Bilchev and Sharabura were also named to the College Sport Communicators 2023 Academic All-District Team, as was Dedaj, which was announced in early May.
Bilchev led the Yellow Jackets from the No. 2 singles position all season, compiling a 27-9 overall singles record, including a 20-4 dual mark. Bilchev went 10-2 against ACC opponents this season and finished the year ranked No. 36 in the ITA national rankings. A biology major, Bilchev earned a bid to the NCAA Singles Championship, making her first appearance in the singles draw.
Cruz completed an impressive freshman campaign last season on The Flats, posting a 25-13 overall singles record and 20-14 overall doubles mark. Cruz went 16-7 in dual singles action, including a 9-4 record against ACC opponents, and spent the majority of the spring campaign ranked nationally. The industrial engineering major partnered with Bilchev in doubles action to go 19-12 overall.
A mainstay in Tech’s doubles lineup, Dedaj teamed with Sharabura the majority of the spring season to lead the Jackets at the No. 2 position. The pair collected victories over three conference opponents. A business administration major, Dedaj and Sharabura broke into the ITA national doubles rankings in April.
Garcia Gross capped her senior season on The Flats with a 20-14 overall singles record, mainly coming from the No. 5 position. The business administration major defeated 11 ACC opponents, including a three-set victory over Miami to clinch a 4-3 victory for Georgia Tech. Garcia Gross trailed 5-3 in the third set before rallying to win four-straight games to clinch the match.
A consistent part of Tech’s singles lineup, Jain compiled a 25-12 overall singles record this season, including a 16-8 dual ledger. The business administration major went 10-3 against league opponents and was a fixture in the ITA national singles rankings, climbing as high as No. 65 in March.
Leading Tech with 29 singles victories on the season, Lee concluded the 2023 season as an ITA All-American after reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship and earning a top 16 seed in the individual tournament. Lee led Georgia Tech from the top singles position all season, producing a 17-7 record in dual action. The business administration major finished the season ranked No. 14 in the ITA national singles rankings.
Completing Tech’s representation on the all-academic team, Sharabura teamed with Dedaj to become a mainstay in the Jackets’ doubles lineup. The pair earned a national ranking in April after holding down the No. 2 position all season. A biology major, Sharabura also collected academic honors last season.
To view the complete list of honorees, please click here.
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