April 15, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - Navy senior Jason Hill was voted the Patriot League Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year in a vote by League men's tennis sports information directors, it was announced on Wednesday. Hill is the first Navy student-athlete to earn the prestigious honor since Dan Gordon earned the award in 1994.

Hill, a senior systems engineering major from Marietta, Ga., has a cumulative grade-point average of 3.55. The senior team captain was selected as a 2008 ITA Scholar-Athlete and has been named to Navy's Superintendent's List in two semesters and to the Dean's List in two additional semesters. Hill posted a 4.00 grade-point average in two of his seven completed terms, and has been named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in each of his three completed years. The Georgia native will serve as a pilot in the Navy aviation service upon graduation.

This season, Hill has a 19-13 overall record and 16-7 spring dual-meet record in singles. Hill is a perfect 5-0 in Patriot League matches at No. 4 this season, and has lost no more than a combined six games in any of those five matches. The senior and teammate Nick Birger have teamed up to compile a 5-0 record at No. 2 doubles in League play. Hill is 10-1 at No. 2 doubles overall and 4-4 at No. 3 doubles during the spring. The senior is in a tie for 11th-place at Navy for career dual-meet doubles victories (53-21) and needs only one victory to become the 20th player in school history to post 100 career combined (singles/doubles) dual-meet victories. Against Patriot League foes, Hill is 11-7 in singles and 17-2 in doubles over his four-year career.

To be eligible for the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and be a starter or key player in his/her sport. Freshmen are not eligible for this honor.

The Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for each individual sport comprises the pool of nominees for the Patriot League Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards given out over the summer. One male and one female are selected for this honor.