Howard and Streifler Named ITA Scholar-Athletes
8/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
SKILLMAN, N.J. -- The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced today (Thursday, Aug. 10) that University of Michigan graduated senior Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) and sophomore Lindsey Howard (Richmond, Va./Mills E. Godwin HS) were named Scholar-Athletes for the 2005-06 academic year. Both student-athletes are carrying the honor for the first time in their careers.
Howard | | Streifler |
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In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status, a player must meet the following criteria: 1.) be a varsity letter winner, 2.) have a grade point average of at least 3.50 for the current academic year, and 3.) have been enrolled at her present school for at least two semesters.
Streifler graduated in June with a degree in sport management from the Division of Kinesiology. Howard is currently enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts.
Streifler closed her career as one of the most accomplished athletes in Michigan women's tennis history. She is tied for third place on U-M's all-time singles wins list with 86, while her career singles winning percentage of .699 (86-37) ranks third all-time. Streifler achieved at least 20 singles victories all four years, including a season-best mark of 24 during her senior campaign. She was even more successful in doubles, earning a career record of 91-33 (.734).
Michigan's captain and Big Ten Conference Sportsmanship Award honoree last season, Streifler is a three-time U-M Athletic Academic Achievement award winner and a 2006 Academic All-Big Ten selection. She became the first-ever Wolverine to earn the Midwest Region's ITA/Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship in May.
Howard, who also received the U-M Athletic Academic Achievement award, finished her first season at Michigan with an overall singles record of 12-12. Her 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 triumph over Nebraska's Ewelina Skaza (May 12) was undoubtedly the biggest victory of her young career, as it helped the Wolverines secure a 4-3 comeback victory in the first round of the NCAA Championship. Howard was just as reliable on the doubles court, teaming with graduated senior Nina Yaftali (Westlake Village, Calif./Westlake HS) for an impressive 16-8 dual match mark at Nos. 2 and 3.
The U-M women's tennis program has produced seven ITA Scholar-Athletes since the award's inception in 1995. At least one Wolverine has earned the honor in each of the past four seasons. This marks the second year that the Maize and Blue has had multiple award winners.
Howard is one of five letterwinners returning for Michigan in 2006-07. The fall campaign kicks off Sept. 29-Oct. 1, when U-M welcomes Kentucky, Marquette and Purdue to the Varsity Tennis Center for the Wolverine Invitational.
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
