NEW ORLEANS - The Sun Belt Conference announced its 2023 Women's Tennis Postseason Awards on Tuesday afternoon and the 33rd-ranked Old Dominion Monarchs came away with quite a haul.
Senior Tatsiana Sasnouskaya was named Player of the Year, head coach Dominic Manilla was named Coach of the Year, Sasnouskaya was a first team singles selection along with Sofia Johnson, and both were named first team doubles honorees.
Manilla guided the Monarchs to a 15-4 overall record and a perfect 10-0 in Sun Belt play. The Monarchs have been ranked in the top 35 all year, peaking at 16th which is the highest in school history. ODU has recorded non-conference wins over Penn State, Columbia, Florida State and two over Wake Forest. The Monarchs have had as many as three nationally-ranked singles players this spring and two doubles tandems. ODU has won six of its last seven matches by shutout.
Sasnouskaya enters the championship with an 18-5 record and has been ranked in the top 35 all year, peaking at 20th. She has out-of-conference wins over West Virginia, LSU, Princeton, Alabama, Maryland, Va. Tech, Penn State, Columbia, Wake Forest, Iowa State and Florida State. Currently 5-2 against nationally-ranked opponents with wins over Wake Forest, Iowa State, Princeton, Kansas and Florida State. She has won her last seven matches.
Johnson is 14-7 overall, 10-5 in dual matches and 6-1 in league play. She has played the two line most of the season and has a pair of four-match winning streaks. In non-league play, she has wins over West Virginia, LSU, Princeton (2), Va. Tech, Penn State and Florida State. She put the first loss this spring on the Freshman of the Year Johanna Strom of Marshall 6-0, 6-3.
In doubles, Johnson and Sasnouskaya are 16-6 overall, 11-2 in dual matches and a perfect 6-0 in Sun Belt play. They knocked off the second-ranked duo from Oklahoma in the ITA All-Americans in the fall and also have a win over 12th-ranked Wake Forest tandem in a February dual. The tandem has recorded wins over West Virginia, LSU, Rice, Oklahoma, Penn State, Ohio State, Wake Forest and Florida State. They've been ranked in the top 40 all year and are the only Sun Belt Conference doubles tandem ranked nationally.
The top-seeded Monarchs will open play in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Thursday with a 10 a.m. start against the winner of eighth-seeded Troy or ninth-seeded Texas State in the quarterfinals. The match will be streamed on ESPN+.
"I am very proud of the recognition we have received this season. This group has worked extremely hard to put themselves in this position. Huge congrats to Tanya on conference player of the year. She is amongst the best to ever wear the ODU colors," Manilla said.
2023 Sun Belt Women's Tennis Awards:
Women's Tennis Player of the Year: Tatsiana Sasnouskaya, Old Dominion
Women's Tennis Player to Watch: Anna Babayan, Coastal Carolina
Women's Tennis Co-Newcomer of the Year: Tatum Burger, Coastal Carolina / Elysia Pool, South Alabama
Women's Tennis Freshman of the Year: Johanna Strom, Marshall
Women's Tennis Coach of the Year: Dominic Manilla, Old Dominion
Singles First Team All-Conference
Savannah Dada-Mascoll, App State
Silvia Martinez, Georgia Southern
Kylie Moulin, James Madison
Johanna Strom, Marshall
Sofia Johnson, Old Dominion
Tatsiana Sasnouskaya, Old Dominion
Singles Second Team All-Conference
Anna Babayan, Coastal Carolina
Victoire De Samucewicz, Coastal Carolina
Ana Tsitavets, Georgia Southern
Daniela Voloh, James Madison
Elysia Pool, South Alabama
Luminita Tutunaru, South Alabama
Doubles First Team All-Conference
Daniela Voloh / Daria Munteanu, James Madison
Johanna Strom / Emma Vanderheyden, Marshall
Sofia Johnson / Tatsiana Sasnouskaya, Old Dominion
Doubles Second Team All-Conference
Victoire De Samucewicz / Jesse Hollins, Coastal Carolina
Silvia Martinez / Liv Ryan, Georgia Southern
Aisling McGrane / Sophia Hurrion, Marshall
Women's Tennis Takes Five All-Conference Honors
