GORHAM, Maine – The University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's tennis team has been named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association ("ITA") All-Academic Team for the 2025-26 season. Additionally, sophomore Katherine Dallaire (Biddeford, Maine), senior Abby Emerson (Gorham, Maine), freshman Alexis Hayward (Acton, Maine/Sanford) and freshman Payton Thibodeau (Gorham, Maine) have been named ITA Scholar-Athletes.
 
To be named an ITA All-Academic Team, programs must have a team grade point average of 3.2 or above (on a 4.00 scale). To be named an ITA Scholar-Athlete, one must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year. In 2026, 1,309 Division III Women's student-athletes were named ITA Scholar-Athletes, and 177 Women's tennis programs were awarded the All-Academic Team distinction.
 
Dallaire, a Nursing major, has played in nine matches in her career and was named to the Little East Conference Sportsmanship Team as a freshman in 2024.
 
Emerson went 4-3 at No. 1 singles and 7-1 at No. 1 doubles to earn First Team All-Little East Conference honors for both singles and doubles play. A team captain, she completed her degree in Exercise Science. She previously earned Second Team All-LEC honors for singles in 2023.
 
Hayward played in 11 matches in her first season with the Huskies She earned the first singles win of her career with a 6-3, 3-6, 7-2 win over her opponent from WestConn at No. 6 singles on September 20. She is majoring in Marketing.
 
Thibodeau, a Business major, posted a 6-2 singles record and went 6-4 in doubles action. She was named to the LEC Sportsmanship Team at the end of the season.
 
The Huskies went 4-9 overall and 3-5 in conference play in 2025 and made the LEC Tournament for the first time since 2018.