2024 CSC Academic All-District Team
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Gabriela del Val del Toro, Dari Sakhanova and Tina Slovak represented the Slippery Rock University women's tennis team on the 2024 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, the organization announced Tuesday.
 
In order to be eligible to earn CSC Academic All-District recognition, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically and own a cumulative grade point average above 3.50 while having significant athletic credentials. Additionally, athletes must have been in the lineup for 70 percent of their team's total matches.
 
Nomination limits per institution are in place for each sport in which the CSC sponsors an academic all-district team. In the sport of tennis, each school can nominate a maximum of four student-athletes.
 
Tuesday's announcement marks the second season in which del Val del Toro has been named to the CSC Academic All-District Team while Sakhanova and Slovak are making their first appearances on the list in their initial years of eligibility.
 
del Val del Toro, who has already earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and currently holds a 3.898 GPA as a strategic communication and media major, recently finished a standout collegiate career at The Rock. A three-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division honoree, del Val del Toro will leave SRU as the fifth winningest athlete in program history with 141 career victories.
 
As a senior del Val del Toro posted a 17-9 overall singles record that included a 12-6 mark in second the flight of dual matches. In doubles bouts, she primarily teamed with fellow senior Nuria Martin Lopez to compile a 19-11 record.
 
Sakhanova has completed 65 hours with a 3.878 GPA as a sport management major. The 2023 PSAC West Freshman of the Year followed up her standout rookie season with another strong year as a sophomore. She was 16-11 overall in singles matches. Sakhanova, who went 12-6 out of the third flight, won eight of her final 10 matches during the 2024 season.
 
Slovak is an exercise science major who holds a 3.672 GPA through 64 total hours. After going 9-13 during her freshman season, Slovak enjoyed a breakout year in 2024. She was nearly unbeatable in singles matches, finishing with a 16-3 overall record. Not only was Slovak 14-2 in dual matches, but she also went a flawless 6-0 in league play.

Sakhanova and Slovak also joined forces to become a great doubles team as evidenced by their 12-8 overall record, 5-0 PSAC West showing and 7-1 mark in third flight competition.
 
The trio helped to lead Slippery Rock to a 15-8 team record in 2024. SRU advanced to the finals of the PSAC Tournament for a third consecutive year before earning an NCAA Tournament bid where The Rock would win their first-round contest before losing in the Round of 32.
 
Slippery Rock has now made 20 NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and 19 trips to the national tournament under head coach Matt Meredith. SRU has won at least one NCAA Tournament match in each of the last three years.
 
del Val del Toro was among a select group of all-district selections, which was determined by a CSC sub-committee, that will now advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. The CSC Academic All-America Team will be announced June 4.





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