Balus Tabbed CSC Academic All-American

DURHAM, N.C. – Following her recognition on the court with All-America accolades, Duke women's tennis sophomore Irina Balus has been selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) First Team Academic All-America Team, as announced by the CSC Tuesday.

Balus, a native of Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, was one of six honorees on the first team with five of those honorees coming from the ACC. Boasting a 3.98 grade-point average and majoring in political science, Balus became just the sixth Blue Devil to be named an Academic All-American.

She joins only Ellie Coleman (2025), Chloe Beck (2022, 2023), Vanessa Webb (1999), Monica Mraz (1995) and Julie Exum (1993) as the only Duke women's tennis players to earn Academic All-America honors.

With a 22-9 overall and 17-4 dual match record, Balus finished ranked No. 9 nationally in singles in 2025-26. Balus advanced to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Singles Championship for the second year in a row, was tabbed an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Singles All-American, All-ACC first team selection in singles and All-ACC second team in doubles.

She is just the 18th Blue Devil in program history to reach the top 10 in the national rankings during her career. She is also the fourth Duke women's tennis player to receive All-America honors in each of her first two seasons in Durham, joining Amanda Johnson (2001, 2002), Kelly McCain (2002, 2003) and Webb (1996, 1997). Balus collected 13 singles wins against ranked opponents, including a pair of victories against the nation's No. 12 and No. 2 players.

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2025-26 Academic All-America ®
Women's Tennis Team
NCAA Division I

NCAA DIVISION I

College Sports Communicators Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year:
Reese Brantmeier, University of North Carolina

FIRST TEAM
Name                                           School                                                             Yr.         GPA            Major
Irina Balus                                   Duke University                                              So.        3.98            Political Science
Reese Brantmeier (1)               University of North Carolina                        Sr.         3.95            Exercise & Sport Science & Studio Art
Berta Passola Folch                  University of California                                 Sr.         3.62            Sociology & Global Studies
Mia Slama                                  NC State                                                          So.        4.00            Communication
Bridget Stammel                        Vanderbilt University                                     Sr.         3.80            Medicine, Health & Society & Economics
Annabelle Xu (3)                        University of Virginia                                     Sr.         3.56            Commerce

SECOND TEAM
Name                                           School                                                             Yr.         GPA            Major
Gabriella Broadfoot                   NC State                                                          Jr.          3.55            Psychology
Melodie Collard (2)                    University of Virginia                                     Sr.         3.77            Kinesiology
Tatum Evans                              University of North Carolina                        Jr.          3.80            Media & Journalism & Psychology
Anastasiia Lopata (3)                University of Georgia                                    Sr.         3.59            Finance
Emily Welker                              Ole Miss                                                          Gr.         3.97            Public Health
Vivian Yang                                 University of Virginia                                     Jr.          3.86            English

THIRD TEAM
Name                                           School                                                             Yr.         GPA            Major
Pilar Astigarraga Harper           Stetson University                                         Sr.         3.98            Molecular & Cellular Biology
Piper Charney                            University of Michigan                                  Jr.          3.53            Business Administration
Anne-Christine Lutkemeyer (4)     UCLA                                                               Sr.         3.60            Environmental Science
Vivian Ovrootsky                        Arizona State University                               Gr.         3.93/3.93   Business Administration
Darya Schwartzman                 Rice University                                               Sr.         3.88            Psychological Sciences & Health Sciences
Josie Usereau                            University of Arizona                                     Jr.          4.00            Physiology & Medicine