HARRISONBURG, Va. – University of Virginia’s Julia Elbaba is the 2015 Virginia State Women’s Tennis Player of the Year for the University Division, the Virginia Sports Information Directors announced Monday. Mark Guilbeau, head coach at Virginia, is the 2015 Coach of the Year and Old Dominion’s Borislava Botusharova is the 2015 Rookie of the Year. Botusharova and teammate Ingrid Vojcinakova were named to the VaSID All-State Singles Second Team.
Elbaba, also an All-State First Team selection, is a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American and three-time All-Atlantic Coast Conference First Team honoree. She finished No. 5 in the final ITA singles rankings of 2015 after earning the No. 6 seed in the NCAA Singles Championship. With a 30-7 singles record, including a 17-4 mark in dual play, she captured the singles title at the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championship and advanced to the consolation singles final at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships.
Guilbeau guided the Cavaliers to their second straight ACC Championship in 2015 with an 11-3 conference mark. Boasting an overall 23-6 record, Virginia appeared in its seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Round-of-16 for the fifth straight season. The Cavaliers won at least 21 matches for the fourth time and were ranked ninth in the final edition of the ITA team rankings. Under Gilbeau’s guidance, Elbaba and Danielle Collins each earned ITA All-America honors.
Botusharova was tabbed the ITA Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year after pushing to a 18-2 record at the No. 1 position over the course of her freshman campaign. She garnered Conference USA Freshman of the Year and All-C-USA First Team honors this season after being nationally ranked throughout the season and picking up three C-USA Player of the Week nods. After entering her freshman season as the No. 6-ranked newcomer in the NCAA, she knocked off multiple nationally-ranked opponents during a 14-match win-streak and earned a spot on the VaSID All-State Singles Second Team.
Joining Botusharova on the VaSID All-State Singles Second Team, is ODU’s Ingrid Vojcinakova. Vojcinakova completed this season with a 17-5 singles record as Old Dominion’s primary No. 3. The Slovakia-native went a five-match winning streak on three different occasions throughout this past season. At one point this year, Vojcinakova claimed victory in 15 of her 17 matches. Vojcinakova has been named to the Conference USA Singles First Team, C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and earned a C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal as well. She tied for second on team with most wins in singles play.
Virginia led all teams with two major award winners and seven all-state selections while William & Mary followed with four all-state honors. Old Dominion earned one major award and two all-state selections, tied with VCU’s two all-state accolades. James Madison, Liberty and Virginia Tech each earned one honor.
VaSID ALL-STATE WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM (UNIVERSITY DIVISION)
Player of the Year: Julia Elbaba, Virginia
Coach of the Year: Mark Guilbeau, Virginia
Rookie of the Year: Borislava Botusharova, Old Dominion
All-State First Team
Doubles
Jeltje Loomans/Leeza Nemchinov, William & Mary
Brittany Yang/Maria Khval, Liberty
Taylor Pinchoff/Alex Huie, James Madison
Singles
Danielle Collins, Virginia
Julia Elbaba, Virginia
Jeltje Loomans, William & Mary
Leeza Nemchinov, William & Mary
Cindy Chala, VCU
Stephanie Nauta, Virginia
All-State Second Team
Doubles
Julia Elbaba/Skylar Morton, Virginia
Salome Kvitashvili/Cindy Chala, VCU
Cassie Mercer/Skylar Morton, Virginia
Singles
Borislava Botusharova, Old Dominion
Maci Epstein, Virginia
Ingrid Vojcinakova, Old Dominion
Oliva Thaler, William & Mary
Francesca Fusinato, Virginia Tech
Skylar Morton, Virginia