From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Recent Case Western Reserve University graduate and member of the men's tennis team Matthew Chen (Wynnewood, Pa. / Lower Merion) was named to the Academic All-District At-Large Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), based on his combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom.
By virtue of being named to the Academic All-District team, Chen will be on the ballot for Academic All-America honors. CoSIDA will release the Division III Academic All-America At-Large First-, Second- and Third-Teams on Wednesday, August 4.
This was the second-straight season that Chen has been named to the Academic All-District team. He went on to earn a spot on the Academic All-America Third Team during his junior campaign.
Academic All-District candidates are nominated by their institution's Sports Information Director, and then voted on by other Sports Information Directors in the district. CWRU is in District 7, which includes all Division III schools in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana.
Chen was one of just three men's tennis players named to the Academic All-District 7 team. Other sports included in the men's at-large category include golf, wrestling, swimming and diving, ice hockey, water polo, volleyball, fencing, gymnastics, rifle, skiing, and lacrosse.
Chen brought home Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-America honors for the second-straight season in 2021, earning the honor for his play in doubles during the campaign. He reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Doubles Championships with partner James Hopper during the campaign and ended the year as the third-ranked pairing in Division III with a 12-1 record together. Chen also received All-University Athletic Association recognition for his play at both singles and doubles for the third time over his career. He was the 25th-ranked singles player in the Central Region in 2021, going 7-3 in singles matches.
Chen ended his senior season with a 55-41 career singles record, tying him for the 10th-most wins in team history, while his 95-29 doubles record marked the second-most doubles victories in program history.
Academically, Chen finished his Spartan career with a 3.92 cumulative grade point average as a Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism major. He is a three-time UAA All-Academic honoree and UAA Presidents Council Scholar-Athlete, and a four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.
Chen helped lead the Spartans to the best season in the history of a team sport at CWRU. The Spartans placed second at the 2021 NCAA Division III Championships, and went 14-3 overall, including just one loss to a Division III opponent during the campaign.