Women's Tennis

East Carolina’s Ruiz and Tulsa's Leenabanchong Named American Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Players of the Year

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Tulsa senior Dobby Leenabanchong and East Carolina junior Celia Ruiz were named the 2017 American Athletic Conference Women’s Tennis Players of the Year by the league’s 11 head coaches.
 
Houston’s Tsveta Dimirtrova and Tulane’s Ivone Alvao were honored as the Freshmen of the Year, while USF’s Cristina Moros was selected as the Coach of the Year.

 
11994 


Ruiz finished the dual season with a 13-6 record at the No. 1 singles and doubles spots including two wins at the American Athletic Conference Championship. She led the Pirates with an overall singles record of 18-10 and a 17-9 overall doubles record at the No. 1 spot.


11995
 
Leenabanchong led the Golden Hurricane to its 11th consecutive NCAA Tennis Championship appearance. She finished the dual season with a 15-6 record at No. 2 and No. 3 singles as well as a 17-4 mark at doubles. The senior takes overall records of 29-9 in singles and 24-7 in doubles into the NCAA Championship.

Dimitrova went 8-2 at No. 1 singles and 7-7 at No. 1 doubles for the Cougars. She not only earned the Freshman of the Year award, but earned a spot on the all-conference team. Alvaro also earned the Freshman of the Year award producing an 18-5 overall record from the No. 3 and 4 singles spots. She ended the year on an 11-match winning streak in singles.

 11996
Moros guided USF to its second American Athletic Conference title after concluding the conference tournament with a 15-10 overall record. She led USF, which was the No. 7 seed in The American Championship, to three wins against higher seeded teams on its way to the conference title. The Bulls will be making an appearance in the NCAA tournament for the 12th time. USF opens tournament play against in-state rival Miami in Gainesville, Florida.
 
 
 
2017 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS AWARDS
Players of the Year
Celia Ruiz, So., East Carolina
Dobby Leenabanchong, Sr., Tulsa
 
Freshmen of the Year
Tsveta Dimitrova,  Houston
Ivone Alvaro, Tulane
 
Coach of the Year
Cristina Moros, USF
 
All-Conference Team
Monica Matias, Jr., UCF
Lauren Bellinger, Sr., Cincinnati
Kelly Poggensee-Wei, Gs., Cincinnati
Yelyzaveta Pletnyeva, Jr., UConn
Celia Ruiz, So., East Carolina
Tsveta Dimitrova, Fr., Houston
Anki Wind, R-Jr., Memphis
Juliana Cardoso, Jr., USF
Ana Roman Domingiuez, So., USF
Liza Buss, So., SMU
Sarai Monarrez, Fr., SMU
Sade Atkinson, Jr., Tulane*
Ivone Alvaro, Fr., Tulane
Dobby Leenabanchong, Sr.,  Tulsa
Ksenia Laskutova, Jr., Tulsa
 
* Unanimous selection                                                   
** There are 15 players on the all-conference team due to a tie in the voting
 
 
                                                                                                                                                             
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