Wake Forest Athletics
Quartet of Deacs Land ITA Scholar-Athlete Nods, Wake Forest Receives All-Academic Team Recognition
7/10/2023 2:31:00 PM | Women's Tennis
Women’s tennis opens the week with more good news!
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Monday afternoon (July 10) saw honors of academic excellence continue to roll in for Wake Forest women's tennis, as four Demon Deacons were named Scholar Athletes by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
Mia Ahmad, Anna Brylin, Brooke Killingsworth, and Maddie Lynch all attained recognition by the ITA.
In addition, the program was selected to the 2023 Division I ITA All-Academic Teams list.
Mia Ahmad | Junior | Albertson, N.Y. | Health & Exercise Science
Ahmad increased her number of appearances in her third year, mainly teaming up with classmate Casie Wooten in the No. 2 doubles spot. She recorded 12 total victories in doubles play during the spring, all happening alongside Wooten to be tied for the second-most wins on the roster. The pair also won eight completed showings in a row from Feb. 5 to March 5, along with delivering an exceptional comeback win over Sasha Gorchanyuk/Maria Campos of Louisville (March 24) in which the two secured five consecutive games to clinch. Ahmad competed in five singles matches, all within the sixth spot, and won three.
Anna Brylin | Graduate Student | Short Hills, N.J. | Master of Science in Business Analytics
In her final year, Brylin led the Deacs in singles wins and maintained a national individual ranking for the first time of her career, standing as high as No. 42 within the ITA. She ultimately joined junior Wooten as one of two Wake Forest individuals to hold such recognition in the ITA throughout the spring. Brylin defeated four ranked opponents in singles -- her best mark within a single season. A three-set victory over No. 6 Sarah Hamner of South Carolina during a Feb. 19 road test became the highest ranked feat of Brylin's career. The team captain reached a dozen solo wins faster than any other Wake Forest player and was one of six ACC individuals to land such a feat at the time. She won all but one of her first eight matches to open the season and caught fire again during the opening stages of April, taking four of five completed appearances. On June 5, Brylin was named the recipient of the 2023 Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award and the Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award in the ITA's Carolina Regional section.
Brooke Killingsworth | Junior | Rogers, Ark. | Health & Exercise Science
Another reliable piece for the Deacons, Killingsworth finished as one of four Wake Forest players to reach double-figures in singles wins (11-11). The heady junior mainly played out of the No. 3 singles spot, while partnering with Brylin in doubles play for the third-straight year – posting a 15-8 record while holding a top-25 national ranking throughout the spring. Killingsworth embraced a major moment in clinching the Round of 64 comeback win over No. 23 Arizona State through three sets in the NCAA tournament, as her Deacs trailed 3-1 at a midpoint in the match. She ultimately reached her 100th career combined win through singles and doubles during the same Arizona State outing. Killingsworth also tallied a straight-sets victory against No. 8-seeded Notre Dame during the second round of the ACC tournament.
Maddie Lynch | Senior | Chagrin Falls, Ohio | Politics & International Affairs
Lynch played in a career-best 23 matches during 2023, splitting time at the No. 5 and No. 6 singles spot. The Deacon proved to be a clutch performer on multiple occasions, providing the clinching point in match wins against Furman, No. 19 Georgia Tech, and Middle Tennessee. She additionally split four showings in doubles, collecting both of her two victories alongside freshman Jingyi Li. Lynch picked up a conference win on the road at Louisville through three sets.
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
- 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
Last month (June 21), Wake Forest set a new program-best mark with six selections on the 2023 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Academic Team after placing five individuals on the yearly list during each of the last two seasons. Ahmad, Brylin, Killingsworth, Lynch, Nevena Carton, and Casie Wooten were all honored. Additionally, the Deacs have enjoyed four consecutive seasons of landing four or more selections and have placed at least one player on the conference list each year since 2014.
Players Mentioned
