April 15, 2010
NORFOLK, Va. (April 15, 2010) - Old Dominion junior Nadine Fahoum (Haifa, Israel) and Georgia State sophomore Diana Nakic (Velenje, Slovenia), who are both ranked among the top 25 singles players in the nation, were selected as the 2010 Colonial Athletic Association women's tennis Co-Players of the Year by a committee of the league's head coaches.
Also receiving top women's tennis honors from the conference were VCU freshman Josefin Hjertquist (Spanga, Sweden), who was named the CAA Rookie of the Year and VCU's Paul Kostin, who was selected as the CAA Coach of the Year.
Fahoum compiled a sparkling 36-5 record in singles this season, including a 21-2 mark in dual match competition. The junior, who is currently ranked #21 in the nation in singles, has six victories over nationally ranked opponents, including a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over #12 Maria Mosolova of Northwestern on Jan. 30. She has also compiled a 25-10 record in doubles and is ranked #76 in the nation with partner Joanna Dobrowolska. Fahoum is ODU's first CAA Player of the Year since 2004.
Nakic put together another outstanding season after earning CAA Player and Rookie of the Year honors in 2009. The sophomore was a perfect 16-0 in dual matches this spring and is one win away from tying the Panthers' school record for victories in a season. She is currently ranked #25 in the nation in singles and has beaten a pair of nationally ranked foes, including Fahoum on March 26. Nakic was also 9-4 in doubles this season.
Hjertquist posted a 23-13 record in singles this season, including an 8-3 mark as the Rams' number two player. She reached the quarterfinals of the ITA Mideast Regionals after beating #54 Emily Fraser of Virginia, and six of her setbacks were to nationally ranked foes. The freshman also played number one doubles for the Rams and won nine matches. Hjertquist is the fifth VCU player in the last seven years to be named Rookie of the Year.
Kostin guided VCU to a sensational 17-4 record this season, including a 3-0 mark in CAA play. The Rams are currently ranked #24 in the nation and are the top seed for this weekend's CAA Championship. VCU posted an impressive 8-4 mark against nationally ranked opponents this season, including a victory at #16 South Florida. This is Kostin's second CAA women's Coach of the Year honor.
Joining Fahoum, Nakic and Hjertquist on the All-CAA first team in singles were Old Dominion junior Joanna Dobrowolska (Warsaw Poland), William & Mary freshman Marlen Mesgarzadeh (Hamburg, Germany) and VCU junior Kateryna Yergina (Kiev, Ukraine).
Three doubles teams received first-team All-CAA honors as well. Making the squad were senior Laura Burns (Hertford, England) and Yergina from VCU, freshman Anik Cepeda (College Station, Texas) and senior Carmen Pop (Nijmegen, Holland) of William and Mary, and Dobrowolska and Fahoum of ODU.
The awards were presented Thursday night prior to the quarterfinals of the 2010 CAA Women's Tennis Championship, which resumes Friday at the Folkes-Stevens Tennis Center on the campus of ODU.
2010 ALL-CAA WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAM
First TeamSinglesJoanna Dobrowolska, Old DominionJr.Warsaw, PolandNadine Fahoum, Old DominionJr.Haifa, IsraelJosefin Hjertquist, VCUFr.Spanga, SwedenMarlen Mesgarzadeh, William & MaryFr.Hamburg, GermanyDiana Nakic, Georgia StateSo.Velenje, SloveniaKateryna Yergina, VCUJr.Kiev, Ukraine
DoublesLaura Burns, VCUSr.Hertford, EnglandKateryna Yergina, VCUJr.Kiev, UkraineAnik Cepeda, William & MaryFr.College Station, TexasCarmen Pop, William & MarySr.Nijmegen, HollandJoanna Dobrowolska, Old DominionJr.Warsaw, PolandNadine Fahoum, Old DominionJr.Haifa, Israel
Second TeamSinglesRagini Acharya, William & MarySr.Pulaski, Va.Katherine Bulling, James MadisonFr.Loveland, OhioLaura Burns, VCUSr.Hertford, EnglandMegan Doran, DelawareJr.Brigantine, N.J.Christina Lee, UNC WilmingtonSo.Charlotte, N.C.Carmen Pop, William & MarySr.Nijmegen, Holland
DoublesAna Bara, VCUSo.Oradea, RomaniaJosefin Hjertquist, VCUFr.Spanga, SwedenLinda Hricistova, Georgia StateSo.Zlin, Czech RepublicDiana Nakic, Georgia StateSo.Velenje, SloveniaLindsay Leblang, UNC WilmingtonJr.Coral Springs, Fla.Christina Lee, UNC WilmingtonSo.Charlotte, N.C.
Third TeamSinglesAlex Bara, VCUSo.Oradea, RomaniaAna Bara, VCUSo.Oradea, RomaniaZineb Hilali, DrexelJr.Casablanca, MoroccoKiersten Pappas, George MasonFr.Waterford, Va.Kinsey Pate, James MadisonSo.Matthews, N.C.Kayla Schwenk, UNC WilmingtonSr.Coconut Creek, Fla.
DoublesElena Berry, DelawareSr.Bradenton, Fla.Montse Ripoll, DelawareJr.Mexico City, MexicoLindsay Gray, George MasonJr.Bethlehem, Pa.Kiersten Pappas, George MasonFr.Waterford, Va.Marlen Mesgarzadeh, William & MaryFr.Hamburg, GermanyLauren Sabacinski, William & MaryJr.Plantation, Fla.
2010 CAA WOMEN'S TENNIS CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Nadine Fahoum, Old Dominion2010 CAA WOMEN'S TENNIS CO-PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Diana Nakic, Georgia State2010 CAA WOMEN'S TENNIS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR:Josefin Hjertquist, VCU2010 CAA WOMEN'S TENNIS COACH OF THE YEAR: Paul Kostin, VCU