DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia men's and women's tennis programs had a total of eight players selected to the 2023-24 Peach Belt Conference Team of Academic Distinction the conference announced Tuesday. 

To be eligible for the team, a student-athlete must 1) participate in at least half of his/her team's events and be either a starter or significant contributor; 2) achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and 3) completed at least one full academic year at his or her current institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. The Peach Belt Conference Sports Information Directors oversee the program.

On the men's side, seniors Joaquin Benoit and Christopher Cahour joined freshman Marcos Castellanos as selections for the 2023-24 academic year. 

Benoit, who recently finished his career as one of the best individual men's tennis players in school history, was selected to the Team of Academic Distinction for the second time in his career. The Mar del Plata, Argentina native graduated in May from UNG with a degree in Management. Benoit finished his playing career with the Nighthawks with the best singles season in program history with an .889 winning percentage in 2023-24. 

With a career 55-16 record in singles matches, Benoit stands as the second winningest men's tennis player in UNG history. His 55-16 record also holds a career .774 winning percentage, the best in program history.Benoit ends his career with nine Peach Belt Conference postseason accolades, including a title as the 2024 PBC Co-Player of the Year. He made the PBC all-conference teams for both singles and doubles in all four years with the program. 

Cahour's time in the blue and white is highlighted by his outstanding work ethic both on the court and in the classroom. This year's selection to the Team of Academic Distinction comes as the second of the senior's career. This year Cahour also earned the PBC Elite 18 Award, given to the player with the highest overall grade point average of any competitor in the PBC Men's Tennis Championship. His career is also highlighted by a PBC Presidential Honor Roll Gold Scholar award and the 2023 D2ADA Academic Achievement Award. Cahour also graduated in May with a degree in Management.

Castellanos just completed his first season with the UNG program and has already made waves in his play and in his studies. The freshman tied two other teammates with a total of 12 singles wins on the season after posting a 12-9 record. Castellanos also went 12-9 in doubles, totaling three wins over nationally ranked opponents between doubles and singles matches last season. The Guatemala City, Guatemala native studies Computer Science in his first academic year at the university. 

For the women's team, a compilation of seniors Valentina Ascarrunz, Johanna Lippert, Svetlana Teterina and Viktorie Wojckivova joined junior Ashley Moinard as Team of Academic Distinction selections this year. 

Ascarrunz, while finishing up a degree in Information Systems, solidified one of the best seasons in program history last year for the Nighthawks. With a 21-2 record in singles, Ascarrunz secured the second most singles wins in program history, while tying the program record for the best singles winning percentage in one season at a staggering .913 win rate. She also went 23-3 in doubles play, joining her partner, junior Carolina Reis, for the winningest doubles season in program history. The selection comes as Ascarrunz's second in her career to the PBC Team of Academic Distinction. 

For Lippert, this year's honor comes as the third Team of Academic Distinction selection in her four-year career at UNG. The Hamburg, Germany native graduated in May with a degree in Management after ending her career as one of the winningest players in program history. Lippert became the winningest singles player in program history in the NCAA Tournament. With two wins, she totaled 54 singles wins in her career, passing UNG alum Vaishali Jorge for the all-time record. Lippert also tied Jorge for the most individual doubles wins in program history with 56 over her four years.

Fellow senior and Stockholm, Sweden native Svetlana Teterina was also named to the Team of Academic Distinction for the third time in her career. The recent graduate in Management also made headlines this season after winning the 2024 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southeast Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award. On the court, Teterina was huge for UNG, going 18-5 in doubles to signify (by winning percentage) the third-best doubles season in UNG women's tennis history. Over her four years, Teterina accumulated 36 wins in singles competitions as well, slotting her at fifth all-time in program history. 

Wojcikova became a two-time Team of Academic Distinction selection with the honor this season. The senior from the Czech Republic graduated last month from UNG with a degree in Psychology after tallying 16 wins in both singles and doubles play this past season. 

Moinard, the lone junior selected to the Team of Academic Distinction, is currently studying Cybersecurity. The Nice, France native was named to the 2024 PBC All-Conference Second Team for singles this year after going 21-2 to tie Ascarrunz with a program record .913 winning percentage and second-most singles wins in a season in Nighthawks history. 

The league office is scheduled to announce several Teams of Academic Distinction this week. The rest of the teams including golf, track & field, softball and baseball will be announced later this week.