ODESSA, Texas (July 16, 2026) – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is proud to announce the 2026 Division II Men's and Women's ITA Scholar-Athletes and All-Academic Teams. UT Permian Basin tennis excelled in the classroom with 13 student-athletes (6 men; 7 women) recognized by the ITA as scholar-athletes. In addition, both the Falcons' men's and women's tennis teams were also recognized as an All-Academic Team for the second-straight year under Head Coach Chris Tolson.

Academia is an essential aspect of the college tennis experience. Collegiate tennis players add to the rich intellectual community found on college campuses nationwide. To be named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, one must meet the following requirements: have a grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and be listed on the institutional eligibility form. To be named an ITA All-Academic Team, programs must meet the following requirements: have a team grade point average of 3.2 or above (on a 4.00 scale), all student-athletes included should be listed on the institutional eligibility form, and all varsity letter winners should be factored into the cumulative team GPA for the current academic year.

Within the sport of tennis, student-athletes continue to exceed expectations in the classroom and on the court. In 2026, 548 Division II Men's student-athletes were named ITA Scholar-Athletes, and 70 Men's tennis programs were awarded the All-Academic Team distinction. In 2026, 649 Division II Women's student-athletes were named ITA Scholar-Athletes, and 95 Women's tennis programs were awarded the All-Academic Team distinction.

The Falcons named an ITA Scholar-Athlete for 2025-26 were:
 
Men's Scholar-Athletes
Philipp Gaurieder
Nehal Naidoo
Christian Lopez
Ayush Sharma
Sebastian Garcia
Andrew Hunsley
 
Women's Scholar-Athletes
Sophia Crosby
Fanny Bergstrom
Alyssa Glasgow
Sophia Rashid
Paige Sitanggang
Mattea Bowe
Dinethya Dharmaratne