NEWARK, Del. - - Women's Tennis standout Jess Purdy has become the 12th Wilmington University student-athlete to earn Academic All-American status, as the College Sports Communicators announced its four 2024 Academic All-America Women's Tennis Teams for all NCAA and NAIA Divisions. She was named a Second Team Academic All-American.
To be eligible for CSC Academic All-District nomination, the student-athlete must excel in both the field of play and the classroom. Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, AND compete in 90 percent of the institution's games or start in at least 66 percent of the games, along with several other criteria. The division's college sports communicators then vote on the All-District winners for the All-American Teams.
Jess Purdy (Wilmslow, England) already graduated from Wilmington University with her degree in sports management and is currently a 4.00 student in her second year in earning her graduate degree. Purdy went 14-4 this season in singles, going 6-3 at No. 1 and 8-1 at No. 2 in her final year. She also went 14-3 in doubles matches, going 8-1 in conference play. She went a perfect 7-0 at No. 3 doubles, 4-1 at No. 1 doubles, and 3-2 at No. 2 doubles, playing the most matches with Larize Nel, going 7-2 overall.
Purdy is the 12th Wildcat to earn Academic All-American status and the first ever women's tennis student-athlete to earn the distinction. Purdy joins softball standouts Katie (Warrington) Hugelmayer (2011, 2012, 2013), volleyball's Brittany (Biddle) Corrigan (2012) and Elly Collins (2023), and women's soccer's Krysta Memis (2021) as Wilmington female student-athletes that have earned the status.
2023-24 Academic All-America Women's Tennis Teams
First Team:
Anais Ruyssen – Wayne State University – Jr. – 3.78 GPA – Management
Lara Schmid – Washburn University – Sr. – 4.00 – Mathematics
Nadja Meier – Flagler College – Sr. – 3.53 – International Business
Maria Saez Camara – Missouri Western State University – Gr. – 4.00/4.00 – Kinesiology
Maja Jung – Washburn University – Sr. – 3.85 – Kinesiology
Alina Kupfer – Southern New Hampshire – So. – 3.97 – Marketing
Second Team:
Emily Barrett – Tiffin University – Jr. – 3.87 – Exercise Science
Salma Djoubri – Lynn University 0 So. – 3.50 – Sports Management
Katarina Liedbeck – Adelphi University – So. – 4.00 – Computer Science
Laia Pasini – Florida Southern College – Sr. – 4.00 – Advertising & Public Relations
Letizia Corsini – Angelo State University – So. – 3.60 – Mechanical Engineering
Jess Purdy – Wilmington University – Sr. – 4.00 – Liberal Studies
Greta Schieroni – Lynn University – Jr. – 4.00 – International Business Management
Clara Versier – Barry – Sr. – 3.73 – Biology
Third Team:
Miruna Tudor – Azusa Pacific University – Gr. – 3.58/3.90 – Sports Management (G)
Vasileia Griva – Grand Valley State – Gr. – 3.93 – Human Resources Management
Emily Hafner – Metropolitan State University of Denver – Sr. – 3.97/4.00 – Business Administration (G)
Hannah Yip – Midwestern State – Jr. – 4.00 – Geoscience
CSC Academic All-American Team Member of the Year – Anais Ruyssen, Wayne State University.