June 15, 2012

STANFORD, Calif.- Ryan Thacher has been honored as the Pac-12 Men's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year, presented by Toyo Tires, league officials announced earlier this week.

In order to be eligible for the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, student-athletes must be a senior (in athletics eligibility) on track to receive a degree, have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, participate in at least 50 percent of the scheduled contests in the sport and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution. The athletic accomplishments of the nominees are also factored into the voting for the award.

Scholar-Athletes of the Year in each sport will receive a commemorative award. Toyo Tires will donate $1,000 to the scholarship funds of the institution's athletic department of each winner in recognition of their accomplishments.

Thacher was an All-American in doubles, earning the honor for the third year in a row. A recipient of the ITA National Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship, Thacher was also honored with the ITA Northwest Region Rafael Osuna Sportsmanship Award.

Thacher teamed with Bradley Klahn for a quarterfinal finish in the NCAA Doubles Championship, compiling a 19-3 record overall and 11-2 in duals. The duo won the Pacific Coast Doubles crown in March, defending last year's title and earning seventh career doubles championship.

An All-Pac-12 Second Team selection, Thacher also participated in the NCAA Singles Championship and was 22-14 overall in singles and 13-9 in duals. He captured the ITA Northwest Regional Championships singles title, collecting the first singles title of his career.

A History major, Thacher sports a 3.91 GPA.

A Scholar-Athlete of the Year is named in each of the Pac-12's 22 sponsored sports. The Pac-12 Conference, in cooperation with Pac-12 corporate partner Toyo Tires, established the "Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards, presented by Toyo Tires" during the 2007-08 academic year.