AUSTIN, Texas – IUP women's tennis student-athletes
Karolin Kirchtag and
Joanna Stralka were named to the inaugural 2022-23 Academic All-America® women's tennis teams selected by the College Sports Communicators, announced by the organization Thursday.
Kirchtag was named to the First Team with Stralka landing on the Second Team. Kirchtag and Stralka represent two of just three players from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to earn Academic All-America® honors.
Tennis has been part of the CSC At-Large program prior to this year. The IUP duo were joined on the CSC Academic All-District team earlier this month by
Katy Graydon and
Lydia Vlachou on May 9.
The prestigious award recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined academic and athletic prowess. Academic All-District® selections, which require a cumulative GPA of 3.5 as a starter or significant reserve with one full year at their respective institutions, are eligible for Academic All-America® consideration.
Kirchtag and Stralka were key contributors in helping IUP to its third consecutive conference title in 2022-23, along with a berth in the NCAA Round of 16.
Kirchtag graduated with a master's degree in sport science, concluding her graduate coursework with a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA. An All-PSAC First Team honoree in 2022-23 at the top of the IUP lineup, Kirchtag won the PSAC individual singles championship in fall of 2022 before earning PSAC Champion Scholar honors this spring for the second time in her collegiate career.
Kirchtag had a combined record of 44-17 across singles and doubles flights this season for the Crimson Hawks, including a 22-8 mark at No. 1 singles in 2022-23. She boasts 122 combined victories in her time with the IUP tennis program, 11th most in program history.
The 2022 ITA Atlantic Region Senior of the Year and PSAC West Athlete of the Year, Kirchtag broke IUP's record for singles victories (31) and tied the school mark for combined wins (57) last season. She swept the singles and doubles crowns at ITA and PSAC Individual Championship in fall of 2022, earning All-PSAC First team laurels in each of her three seasons with the Crimson Hawks.
Stralka earns her second major award this week, fresh off her ITA Atlantic Region Most Improved Senior honor on May 30. Stralka also finishes her coursework with an unblemished 4.0 cumulative GPA in biology, winning the NCAA Elite 90 award twice in 2020-21 and 2022-23.
Stralka went a combined 45-13 this season for IUP across both singles and doubles, including 17-0 at the No. 2 doubles flight. She received All-PSAC First team honors as a singles competitor and All-PSAC Second Team honors in doubles.
Stralka finishes her accomplished IUP career ranked 16th in program history in combined career wins (114), 16th in career doubles wins (58) and 15th in career singles wins (56). She began her IUP career as the ITA Atlantic Region Freshman of the Year, winning the PSAC individual championship in 2019-20.
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For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's tennis on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPtennis.
