RICHMOND, Va. – The Elon University women’s tennis team placed three players on the all-conference teams as the Colonial Athletic Association announced the 2017 women’s tennis postseason awards on Tuesday, May 2.
Erica Braschi and Olivia Lucas headlined the awards as they both earned All-CAA Second Team honors for both singles and doubles. Kirsten Ward was named to the nine-member CAA All-Academic Team.
Braschi had a solid campaign for the Phoenix and earned All-CAA singles honors for the second straight year. The Dorado, Puerto Rico native finished the season with 21 total singles wins, including a 15-9 record during the spring. She also collected CAA Player of the Week honors on March 14, after earning her first-career win over a ranked opponent, defeating No. 124-ranked Celia Ruiz of East Carolina. Braschi played all of her matches at the No. 1 position during the spring season.
Lucas earned a spot on the all-conference team in singles for the third consecutive season. After missing most of the fall season, the Greenville, S.C. native finished the spring with a 14-6 record and a 4-1 mark against CAA players primarily and the No. 2 and No. 3 positions. She ended the regular season winning five of her last six singles matches.
In addition, Braschi and Lucas also earned a spot on the All-CAA Second Team for doubles. The pair had a team-best 16-6 record in the spring at the No. 2 position and won five straight matches to close out the year. They also earned CAA Doubles Team of the Week honors on March 11. With the honor, Braschi collects her second-career All-CAA doubles honor and Lucas claims her first.
Rounding out this year’s Elon honorees is Ward, who earned a spot on the All-Academic Team. The Statesville, N.C. native completed the spring season with a 13-7 mark in singles and a 13-8 record in doubles action. She paired with Suzanne Zenoni at the No. 3 doubles position, had a 12-8 record, and earned CAA Doubles Team of the Week honors on April 18.
2017 ALL-CAA WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAMS
First Team
Singles
Mara Argyriou, Col. of Charleston Sr. Limassol, Cyprus Marie Faure, William & Mary Sr. Toulouse, France Timea Guibe, James Madison Sr. Noisy le Roi, France Brooke Pilkington, Delaware Fr. Virginia Beach, Va. Ekaterina Stepanova, William & Mary Jr. St. Petersburg, Russia Madara Straume, UNCW Jr. Jurmala, Latvia
Doubles
Sabrina Barisano, UNCW So. New Rochelle, N.Y. Madara Straume, UNCW Jr. Jurmala, Latvia Marie Faure, William & Mary Sr. Toulouse, France Lauren Goodman, William & Mary So. Fort Wayne, Ind. Timea Guibe, James Madison Sr. Noisy le Roi, France Kimmy Herrock, James Madison Jr. Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Second Team
Singles
Erica Braschi, Elon Jr. Dorado, Puerto Rico Rosie Cheng, William & Mary Fr. Auckland, New Zealand Liza Fieldsend, Col. of Charleston Sr. New Braunfels, Texas Sara Komer, Delaware So. Venetia, Pa. Olivia Lucas, Elon Jr. Greenville, S.C. Honami Yazawa, Drexel Sr. Tokyo, Japan
Doubles
Erica Braschi, Elon Jr. Dorado, Puerto Rico Olivia Lucas, Elon Jr. Greenville, S.C. A.J. Gomer, Towson Jr. Huntington Beach, Calif. Renate van Oorschodt, Towson Jr. Apeldoorn, Netherlands Denny LaMachia, Delaware Gr. Hopkinton, Mass. Amanda Studnicki, Delaware Jr. Normal, Ill.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Marie Faure, William & Mary
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Brooke Pilkington, Delaware
COACH OF THE YEAR: Laura Travis, Delaware
All-Academic Team
Mara Argyriou, Col. of Charleston Sr. Limassol, Cyprus Maria Groener, William & Mary Jr. Oslo, Norway Denny LaMachia, Delaware Gr. Hopkinton, Mass. Dylan Owens, James Madison Jr. Olney, Md. Alix Theodossiou, UNCW Sr. Asheville, N.C. Barbora Vasilkova, Towson Jr. Bratislavia, Slovakia Kirsten Ward, Elon Jr. Statesville, N.C. Jennifer White, Drexel Jr. Gladwyne, Pa. Disha Yellayi, Hofstra So. Williamsville, N.Y.