IRVINE – Eight Cal State LA women's tennis players earned Academic All-PacWest Conference recognition, the conference announced on Monday.
 
Pyper Brown, Luciana Di Laura, Kayleigh Hall, Nozomi Matsuoka, Iris Raileanu, Elizaveta Sokolova, Layna Schwartz and Judy Ung were among the student-athletes honored by the conference. Student-athletes who achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average, have completed two academic semesters and competed in their sport were eligible to receive the academic honor.
 
Cal State LA is an affiliate member of the PacWest in women's tennis, joining fellow California Collegiate Athletic Association members Stanislaus State and Sonoma State. The CCAA stopped sponsoring women's tennis following the 2010 season.
 
This was Cal State LA's third season competing as an affiliate member of the PacWest.
 
Listed below are the players with their majors:
 
Pyper Brown, Sr., Graphic Design
Luciana Di Laura, So., Theatre
Kayleigh Hall, Sr., Business
Nozomi Matsuoka, Sr., Business Management
Iris Raileanu, Sr., Psychology
Elizaveta Sokolova, Jr., Computer Science
Layna Schwartz, So., Communications
Judy Ung, Jr., Accounting
 
Cal State LA (13-8) wrapped up a tremendous season by finishing fourth in the PacWest Championships for a third straight year. The Golden Eagles edged Azusa Pacific, 5-4, in a five-hour quarterfinal match before stunning then-No. 1 BYU-Hawaii by winning two of the three doubles points in a semi-final match. The Golden Eagles then fell to No. 9 Academy of Art, 5-3, in the third-place match to finish fourth in the conference.
 
Cal State LA was also ranked fifth in the final NCAA Division II West Region poll. The top three teams from the West – BYU-Hawaii, Hawaii Pacific and Academy of Art – qualified for the NCAA playoffs. BYU-Hawaii advanced to the national semi-finals before suffering its first loss of the season. Barry won the Division II national title.
 
Cal State L.A. recorded its sixth consecutive national top-25 finish and its third top-20 finish in the past six seasons. The Golden Eagles were 23^rd in 2016, 17^th in 2015, 21^st in 2014, 22^nd in 2013 and 15^th in 2012. The national ranking of 15 in 2012 was the best for the program since being No. 15 in 1995.
 
Cal State L.A. is nationally-ranked at the end of six consecutive seasons for the first time since 1991-96.
 
Cal State L.A. has a storied women's tennis program that has celebrated success recently with its string of top-25 ITA national rankings. The Golden Eagles have competed in the NCAA Championships nine times and Edna Olivarez won national titles in singles and doubles, with partner Jennifer Choi, in 1990. The program's most famous alum is legendary tennis pro and women's rights activist Billie Jean King, who played for Cal State L.A. from 1961-64. The athletics complex on campus is named in her honor.