UNC women’s tennis standout Sara Daavettila and men’s lacrosse superstar Chris Gray were each recognized as Academic All-District performers on Tuesday by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America.

Daavettila and Gray were named to the District 3 teams, which include student-athletes from Division I schools in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This honor makes them each eligible for Academic All-American status in August.

A communication studies major from Williamston, Michigan, Daavettila was the 2021 ACC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year and the Honda Sport Award winner recognizing the nation’s top player. She helped guide the Tar Heels to a 30-1 record and became just the fifth player in school history to reach the semifinals at the NCAA Women’s Singles Tournament.

Over the course of her five-year career, Daavettila ranks second in school history with 149 career singles victories and helped lead the Tar Heels to three ITA National Indoor titles and four ACC championships.

Since transferring from Boston University following his sophomore season, Gray — a management and society major — has lifted the UNC men’s lacrosse program back to previous heights.

The ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year set a new school record with 91 points this season, while carrying the Tar Heels to the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament — where they ultimately fell in heart-breaking fashion to eventual national champion Virginia in the Final Four.

Gray is returning to Chapel Hill next season for his fifth year of eligibility while beginning work on his MBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Lacrosse Ranked No. 1 in Preseason Polls
The defending national champions are still No. 1. The UNC women’s lacrosse team received the top spot in the Nike/USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse preseason polls. Carolina is coming off an undefeated 2022 season which ended in a national championship. Picking up right where we left off. 📰 » https://t.co/3apzZtndHv pic.twitter.com/a4ZSYsBKCN — UNC Women's Lacrosse […]
Multiple UNC Athletes Win Conference Honors
It was a banner weekend for Carolina athletics, punctuated by the UNC women’s tennis program’s third consecutive indoor national title and sixth overall. Almost every UNC winter sport was in action, and multiple student-athletes brought in awards for their performances. In women’s tennis, Fiona Crawley was named ACC Player of the Week, while teammate Carson […]
Two Tar Heel Student-Athletes Named Academic All-Americans
Two outstanding Tar Heel student-athletes are being recognized for their achievements on the field and in the classroom. Sara Daavettila of women’s tennis and Chris Gray of men’s lacrosse, both of whom graduated from Carolina in 2021, were named Academic All-Americans Monday by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America. Daavettila was named to the […]
Price, Sankey Win Patterson Medals
The Patterson Medal is UNC's highest athletic honor.
National Title Runs Begin In Chapel Hill
It will be a busy weekend for many UNC spring sports with NCAA Tournaments getting underway right here in Chapel Hill.
ACC Tournament Season In Full Swing
It's the spring ACC Tournament season. And many UNC programs have high hopes on conference title trophies and banners.
Tar Heels Round Out Exciting Regular Season
A busy Tar Heel sports weekend secured a couple exhilarating ACC titles, produced heartbreak on the lacrosse field and saw history made on the Chestnut Hill tennis courts.
Tar Heel Tennis, Lacrosse Blossoming This Spring
Although surrounded by less hype and fanfare than their more famous basketball and football counterparts, UNC’s spring sports teams excel at the highest level year in and year out. 2015 is shaping up to be no exception.
Overshadowed Spring Sports Share Same Lofty Goals
All eyes are generally fixed on the basketball hardwood this time of year in Chapel Hill, but a litany of other top-notch UNC sports programs are gearing up for their own chances at ACC and national glory.
North Carolina Finishes 8th Again In Directors' Cup
UNC’s eighth place finish in the Director’s Cup is the highest finish among ACC schools.
›