Lauren Hewett and Meg Wladimirski Earn All-SSC Honors
ORLANDO, Fla. - The 2013 All-Sunshine State Conference Women's Tennis Team has been announced, with the University of Tampa's Lauren Hewett and Meg Wladimirski becoming the first-ever all-conference selections in program history.
Florida Tech's Kristina Huba took top honors as the Player of the Year. Lynn's Valentine Confalonieri was tabbed Freshman of the Year, while Barry's Avi Kigel was selected as Coach of the Year.
Joining Huba and Confalonieri as All-SSC First Team singles selections were: Sabine Goge (Florida Southern), Ioana Ivan (Lynn), Magda Riutort (Florida Southern), and Ashley Rosenberg (Rollins).
Earning first-team doubles honors were Lynn's duo of Confalonieri and Ivan, Florida Southern's Riutort and Goge, and Barry's Elisabeth Abanda and Emma Onila.
Named All-SSC Second Team in singles were: Abanda, Onila, Maria Benkirane (Saint Leo), Adrianna Daskiewicz (Saint Leo), Linda Fritschken (Barry), and Lauren Hewett (Tampa).
Receiving second-team honors in doubles were Rollins' Elissa DeCampli and Ashley Rosenberg, Tech's Huba and Stephanie Dohner, Barry's Fritschken and Kimmy Twelker, and Tampa's Hewett and Meg Wladimirski.
Rollins' Carli Davis received honorable mention in singles.
Hewett set a single-season UT record for wins as the junior finished the season with an 18-4 mark. She was 5-0 at the number-two spot and 13-4 at three. Teamed with doubles partner Meg Wladimirski, the nationally-ranked duo was 17-6 at the number-one spot. The doubles duo also set a single-season mark for wins.
Voting for the All-SSC Women's Tennis Team was conducted among the league's women's tennis coaches.
A junior from Ascona, Switzerland, Huba collected a 21-3 record exclusively at #1 singles. She also tallied a 17-8 record with Stephanie Dohner in the top doubles position. Huba is the No. 5-ranked player in the ITA's Division II singles rankings. Her biggest win of the season came against SSC Freshman of the Year Confalonieri, who is ranked No. 4 in the nation. Huba won the top-five battle in straight sets, 6-1, 6-2.
In her debut season from Sanremo, Italy, Confalonieri earned a No. 4 national ranking by amassing a 15-2 record in the top singles position. She has also achieved a No. 3 national doubles ranking with Ioana Ivan. The duo has posted a 17-2 mark in the #1 singles slot. Her biggest win of the season came against Florida Southern's Magda Riutort, who was ranked No. 11 at the time. Confalonieri won the match 6-1, 6-3.
In his fifth year at the helm of the Barry women's tennis program, Kigel wins his fourth consecutive Coach of the Year distinction after leading his Buccaneers to their fourth straight SSC title. Ranked No. 2 in Division II, Kigel's squad has amassed a perfect 24-0 record. Nineteen of those victories came against teams that were nationally ranked.
2013 ALL-SUNSHINE STATE CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS
TEAM
First Team
Singles
Valentine Confalonieri, Lynn (Fr)
Sabine Goge, Florida Southern (Jr)
Kristina Huba, Florida Tech (Jr)
Ioana Ivan, Lynn (Jr)
Magda Riutort, Florida Southern (So)
Ashley Rosenberg, Rollins (Jr)
Doubles
Elisabeth Abanda/Emma Onila, Barry (Fr/Fr)
Valentine Confalonieri/Ioana Ivan, Lynn (Fr/Jr)
Magda Riutort/Sabine Goge, Florida Southern (So/Jr)
Player of the Year - Kristina Huba, Florida
Tech
Freshman of the Year - Valentine Confalonieri,
Lynn
Coach of the Year - Avi Kigel, Barry
Second Team
Singles
Elisabeth Abanda, Barry (Fr)
Maria Benkirane, Saint Leo (So)
Adrianna Daskiewicz, Saint Leo (Jr)
Linda Fritschken, Barry (So)
Lauren Hewett, Tampa (Jr)
Emma Onila, Barry (Fr)
Doubles
Elissa DeCampli/Ashley Rosenberg, Rollins (Jr/Jr)
Stephanie Dohner/Kristina Huba, Florida Tech (Sr/Jr)
Linda Fritschken/Kimmy Twelker, Barry (So/Fr)
Lauren Hewett/Meg Wladimirski, Tampa (Jr/So)
Honorable Mention
Singles
Carli Davis, Rollins (Fr)