NEWBERRY — Newberry College women’s tennis players Tara Lamers and Elizabeth Williamson have earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District At-Large honors, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
Both players earn the distinction for the first time in their careers and advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot.
Lamers graduated summa cum laude last weekend, carrying a 3.95 grade point average with double majors in biology and mathematics. The native of Maastricht, The Netherlands, went 11-9 in singles and 16-6 in doubles, reaching career win No. 100 this season.
She has been named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar Athlete and earned the Outstanding Newberry Mathematics student award as a sophomore and senior. Lamers was a member of the Psi Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society, serving as the organization’s president as a senior.
She is a member of the Bachman Honor Society (top 3% of class), attended the Carolinas Math Seminar and has been honored on the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award.
She has been the tennis team’s representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Council and has volunteered with Special Olympics for tennis instruction and the Science Olympiad for middle schools and high schools.
Williamson recently completed her junior season ranked 49th nationally in singles play, reaching as high as No. 25 during the year.
The Catnerbury, New Zealand, native carries a perfect 4.00 grade point average while majoring in biology. The first team all-South Atlantic Conference honoree went 20-2 in singles (all at No. 1), and 21-5 in doubles this season. She has earned Dean’s List honors in every semester eligible and is a Newberry student marshal, achieving the highest scholarship rankings in her class.
She has won the D2ADA Academic Achievement Award, been named an ITA Scholar Athlete and earned SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll notice. She has also been a Student-Athlete Advisory Council member, won Chick-fil-A Student-Athlete of the Month honors and volunteered in various capacities on campus and in the community.