NEWPORT — Two Newport residents have been recognized for their academic and athletic achievements at Vermont State University Lyndon.
Jeffrey Blais and David Gratton, both senior business administration majors, were named to the 2024-25 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team for tennis.
Blais, who maintains a 3.83 grade point average, earned the honor after being selected to the Empire 8 All-Conference East Division Team on Monday. He received first team honors in singles and second team recognition in doubles, partnering with Gratton.
Playing as Lyndon’s first singles player, Blais posted a 7-5 overall record and 3-2 conference mark. In doubles competition with Gratton and Wesley McIntyre of Troy, New York, he went 7-5 overall and 2-3 in Empire 8 play.
This marks Blais’ second consecutive year earning Academic All-District recognition in tennis. He also received the honor in men’s soccer this fall.
Gratton, who carries a 3.93 GPA, was named the team’s Most Valuable Player for the recently completed season. He compiled a 4-7 record at second singles and went 6-5 in doubles play alongside Blais and Gilbert Flores of Winsted, Connecticut.
Like Blais, Gratton earned Academic All-District honors last season in both tennis and men’s soccer.
The Academic All-District Team recognizes student-athletes who excel both in competition and in the classroom.
In other academic news from the region:
Sierra Cooper of Newport was named to Southern New Hampshire University’s spring 2025 dean’s list, recognizing students with GPAs between 3.5 and 3.699.
Eight area students earned spots on SNHU’s president’s list for maintaining GPAs of 3.7 or higher: Destiny Hall of Orleans, Lahna Descheneau of North Troy, Stephanie Messier of Newport Center, Kristen Simpson of Newport, Brooke McAllister of Newport, Melissa Burdick of Holland, Crystal Hall of Derby, and Luvuyo Batyi of Albany.
Aidan Morin of Sheffield made Lasell University’s dean’s list in Auburndale, Massachusetts, for spring 2025 academic performance.
At Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York, Justin Patrick Bouchard of Newport, a junior in digital arts and sciences, and Tate A. Parker of Newport, a freshman in mechanical engineering, were named to the spring 2025 dean’s list. Bouchard also received presidential scholar recognition for maintaining at least a 3.8 GPA.
