Pittsburgh, Pa. – Four Dukes from the Duquesne University women's tennis team earned a spot on the 2025 Academic All-District® Team, selected by College Sports Communicators and announced by the organization Tuesday afternoon.
The prestigious academic award recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Senior
Kaya Rand, juniors
Taisia Yakunina and
Jasa Roka and sophomore
Alexandra O'Brien all earned academic laurels for the Dukes.
Rand, a native of Kobe, Japan, has excelled both academically and athletically while pursuing her degree in digital media arts, earning an impressive cumulative GPA of 3.98. On the tennis court, she led the Dukes with a 12-6 record in singles play and compiled a 20-13 overall mark for the season. Competing primarily at the No. 2 and 3 singles positions, Rand posted a team-best 8-4 record at the No. 2 slot. In doubles, she recorded an 8-7 overall record, including an 8-6 showing at the No. 1 position. She was particularly strong in conference matchups, going 5-1 in singles and 3-1 in doubles. This marks the second consecutive season that Rand has earned a spot on the prestigious All-District® Team.
A junior finance major from Barcelona, Spain, Yakunina has maintained a strong 3.79 GPA while making a significant impact on the court. She recorded the second-best singles record on the team, finishing the season at 10-6. Competing at the No. 3, 4, and 5 singles positions, she posted a 5-3 mark at the No. 5 spot and closed the season on a high note, winning seven of her final ten singles matches—including a key victory over George Mason in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Championships. In doubles play, Yakunina competed at the No. 2 and 3 positions, earning a 7-8 overall record with five of those wins coming at the No. 2 spot. She also delivered solid performances against conference opponents, going 4-2 in singles and 3-3 in doubles. This marks the first time Yakunina has been named to the All-District® Team in her career.
Roka, a finance major from Lorton, Va., has maintained an impressive 3.89 GPA while serving as one of the Dukes' top doubles players this season. She earned five doubles victories, competing at both the No. 1 and No. 2 positions, and posted a 4-4 record at the second slot. Roka finished strong, winning her final two doubles matches and going 5-3 over her last eight contests. In conference play, she notched a 3-3 doubles record and contributed a 6-4 victory over George Mason in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. In singles competition, the junior battled at the No. 1, 2, and 3 positions, securing three total wins, including two against A-10 opponents. This marks the second consecutive season Roka has earned Academic All-District® honors.
O'Brien, a native of Richland, Mich., has excelled academically with a 3.83 GPA while earning her degree in management. In her first season on the Bluff, the sophomore made an immediate impact, recording six wins each in both singles and doubles competition. In singles play, she competed at the No. 3, 4, and 5 positions, earning three victories each at the third and fourth spots. She finished the regular season on a high note, winning four straight singles matches, including two against conference opponents. In doubles action, O'Brien saw time at all three positions, with the majority of her matches played at No. 2, where she posted a 4-3 record. She closed out the season with four consecutive doubles wins, highlighted by a 6-4 victory over George Mason in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. This marks the first time O'Brien has received Academic All-District® honors.
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