TWICE is NICE…the phrase is a perfect description of the accomplishments by the Muskogee girls tennis program as the six-member squad won the Class 6A academic state championship.  The award, presented by the OSSAA to the team in each sport posting the highest grade point average, was a repeat performance for the Muskogee squad made up of four seniors and two sophomores.

The 2022 graduating quartet of Klaire Newell, Annebelle Czaruk, Kate Hewitt and Alexis Dansby combined their academic excellence along with sophomores Alexandra Locke and Tzitlaly Pulido to post a 4.0 grade point average.

“Their actual grade points reflect an even higher score but the OSSAA only recognizes the unweighted grade point average,” explained Muskogee coach Clayton Blevins. “The four seniors graduated by winning this honor back-to-back years and are four-time winners of the Frontier Valley Conference Academic Award. All four will attend Division-I level schools on full ride academic scholarships.”

Annebelle Czaruk talked about the focus to detail by the group that resulted in the academic honors.

“Our team is a very driven group. Each one of us have been taught to maintain balance in our high school life that carried over into athletics as well as the classroom,” said Czaruk, who plans to pursue a degree in the pre-Med field as a member of the Honors College and Presidential Leadership class at the University of Oklahoma. “It wasn’t rare for me to be on the bus with my laptop open and hotspot turned on. With a tight schedule, you have to fill in every gap.”

All six of the girls also earned Rougher 300 recognition resulting from their volunteer service to the local community.

“Check out their class schedule-it definitely requires their very best. Then look at the grade points. Klaire (4.56), Annebelle (4.624), Kate (4.525) and Alexis (4.519) are the result of four years of hard work. Alexandra (4.127) and Tzitlaly (4.048) are off to a great start that will continue climbing the next two years as they master the higher honor level courses,” said Blevins. “Big Dog is more than proud of this team of champions. They’re winners on the court, in the classroom and in everyday life.”