Photo by: Columbia University Athletics / Lem Photography
Michael Zheng Named Academic All-American
6/4/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Zheng becomes first Academic All-American in program history
NEW YORK – Columbia men's tennis junior Michael Zheng was selected to the 2024-25 Academic All-America first team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). Zheng becomes the first men's tennis player in program history to earn the honor.
Zheng, a psychology major with a 3.60 GPA, is one of seven athletes named to the first team. Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher to be considered for the award.
The NCAA Individual National Champion became the first Columbia men's tennis player to earn All-American honors three times. He is just the fourth tennis player from the Ivy League to earn this honor, joining Yale's Donald Dell (1958, '59, '60), Princeton's Jay Lapidus (1978, '79, '80), and Harvard's Howard Sands (1981, '82, '83).
Zheng made history by winning the NCAA Individual Tennis Championship in the fall – becoming the first Lion to win a singles championship since Robert LeRoy won the title in 1904 and 1906. Zheng is the first men's singles champion from an Ivy League school since Lucien Williams of Yale won the title in 1922.
The 2024-25 Ivy League Player of the Year finished his junior campaign with an overall record of 37-5. Leading Columbia to its 18th conference title and a historic second-straight appearance in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals.
FOLLOW THE LIONS:
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Men's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsMTEN), Instagram (@culionsmten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Zheng, a psychology major with a 3.60 GPA, is one of seven athletes named to the first team. Student-athletes must be at least a sophomore academically and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher to be considered for the award.
The NCAA Individual National Champion became the first Columbia men's tennis player to earn All-American honors three times. He is just the fourth tennis player from the Ivy League to earn this honor, joining Yale's Donald Dell (1958, '59, '60), Princeton's Jay Lapidus (1978, '79, '80), and Harvard's Howard Sands (1981, '82, '83).
Zheng made history by winning the NCAA Individual Tennis Championship in the fall – becoming the first Lion to win a singles championship since Robert LeRoy won the title in 1904 and 1906. Zheng is the first men's singles champion from an Ivy League school since Lucien Williams of Yale won the title in 1922.
The 2024-25 Ivy League Player of the Year finished his junior campaign with an overall record of 37-5. Leading Columbia to its 18th conference title and a historic second-straight appearance in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals.
FOLLOW THE LIONS:
Stay up to date on all things Columbia Men's Tennis by following the Lions on X (@CULionsMTEN), Instagram (@culionsmten) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Tennis
Postgame: MTEN | Michael Zheng on winning the NCAA singles championship
Sunday, November 24
Postgame: MTEN | Michael Zheng on advancing to the singles final at NCAA Championships
Saturday, November 23
Postgame: MTEN | Michael Zheng on advancing to semifinals at NCAA Championships
Friday, November 22
MTEN: NCAA Singles Semifinals Post-Match Press Conference
Friday, May 24
