RICHARDSON, Texas –– Texas-Tyler’s Michelle Hagler and Hardin-Simmons’ Lisa Mertz – both seniors – have been named division most valuable players for the second time in their careers to highlight the 2011 American Southwest Conference women’s tennis awards as voted on by the league’s 13 head coaches, the ASC office announced on Thursday (May 5).
Hagler (Austin, TX / Westwood HS) earned the title of East Division Most Valuable Player for the second straight year after posting 10 wins at No. 1 singles, including a 5-0 record in division play. She also teamed with Jessica Blundell for a perfect division mark in No. 2 doubles as the Patriots went on to the conference and division title.
Mertz (Cleburne, TX / CHS) earned the title of West Division Most Valuable Player after going 13-5 at No. 1 singles, including a 6-0 mark in division play. She also teamed with Jennifer Cheung for a 10 wins at No. 1 doubles. Mertz was also the division’s MVP in 2009.
Hagler and Mertz were also named to their respective division’s First Team at the No. 1 singles position. Mertz was the ASC All-Conference selection at No. 1 singles and a second team West pick at No. 1 doubles with Chueng. Hagler was a first team All-Conference and East selection at No. 2 doubles with Blundell.
Also appearing on the ASC All-Conference Team in singles were Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Mallory Aarhus (No. 2) and Texas-Tyler teammates Lauren Giovannini (No. 3), Blundell (No. 4), Brittany Trich (No. 5) and Morgan Wilkins (No. 6). In doubles, UMHB twins Mallory and Megan Aarhus (No. 1) were All-Conference selections as well as Albro and Giovannini (No. 3). Sydni Hermsdorf and Emily McRae of UT Tyler were at-large selections as members of the ASC champion team.
LeTourneau freshman Sarah Case (East) and Mary Hardin-Baylor sophomore Megan Richardson (West) were named newcomers of the year, while Texas-Tyler’s Blundell (East) and Hardin-Simmons’ Angie Nhan (West) took top freshman honors. Mississippi College sophomore Mitzi Morgan (East) and HSU’s Mertz (West) were voted sportsmanship athletes of the year. Texas-Tyler’s Chris Bizot (East), who guided league and division crowns, and Mary Hardin-Baylor’s James Cohagan (West), who directed the Lady Cru’s first division title and runner-up finish for the league championship, took top coaching honors.
The complete list of award winners and teams follow:
AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
WOMEN'S TENNIS 2011 ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Lisa Mertz
|
Sr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Cleburne, TX (CHS)
|
|
No. 2
|
Mallory Aarhus
|
Jr.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
Georgetown, TX (GHS)
|
|
No. 3
|
Lauren Giovannini
|
Sr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Dallas, TX (Bishop Lynch HS)
|
|
No. 4
|
Jessica Blundell
|
Fr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Rowlett, TX (RHS)
|
|
No. 5
|
Brittany Trich
|
Jr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Longview, TX (Longview HS)
|
|
No. 6
|
Morgan Wilkins
|
Jr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Wimberley, TX (WHS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 1
|
Megan & Mallory Aarhus, Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
|
No. 2
|
Jessica Blundell & Michelle Hagler, Texas-Tyler
|
|
No. 3
|
Ashley Albro & Lauren Giovannini, Texas-Tyler
|
*At-Large
|
Sydni Hermsdorf, Texas-Tyler
|
|
Emily McRae, Texas-Tyler
|
(*At-Large; Included as member of ASC champion team)
ASC EAST DIVISION HONORS AND AWARDS
East Division Most Valuable Player: Michelle Hagler, No. 1/1, Sr., Texas-Tyler
East Division Newcomer of the Year: Sarah Case, No. 1/1, Fr., LeTourneau
East Division Freshman of the Year: Jessica Blundell, No. 4/2, Fr., Texas-Tyler
East Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Mitzi Morgan, No. 2/1, So., Mississippi College
East Division Coach of the Year: Chris Bizot, Texas-Tyler
(# indicates tie in voting at that position)
ASC ALL-EAST DIVISION
-EAST FIRST TEAM-
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Michelle Hagler
|
Sr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Austin, TX (Westwood HS)
|
|
No. 2
|
Sydni Hermsdorf#
|
Jr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Spring, TX (Klein HS)
|
|
|
Mitzi Morgan#
|
So.
|
Mississippi College
|
Clinton, MS (Hillcrest Christian)
|
|
No. 3
|
Lauren Giovannini
|
Sr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Dallas, TX (Bishop Lynch HS)
|
|
No. 4
|
Jessica Blundell
|
Fr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Rowlett, TX (RHS)
|
|
No. 5
|
Brittany Rrich
|
Jr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Longview, TX (LeTourneau)
|
|
No. 6
|
Morgan Wilkins
|
Jr.
|
Texas-Tyler
|
Wimberley, TX (WHS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 1
|
Sydni Hermsdorf & Emily McRae, Texas-Tyler
|
|
No. 2
|
Jessica Blundell & Michelle Hagler, Texas-Tyler
|
|
No. 3
|
Ashley Albro & Lauren Giovannini, Texas-Tyler
|
-EAST SECOND TEAM-
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Mindy Tiu
|
Fr.
|
Texas-Dallas
|
Friendswood, TX (FHS)
|
|
No. 2
|
Rachel Houston
|
So.
|
Texas-Dallas
|
Plano, TX (Plano Senior HS)
|
|
No. 3
|
Jean-Jean Gwo
|
Fr.
|
Texas-Dallas
|
Plano, TX (Plano West HS)
|
|
No. 4
|
Megan Tan
|
So.
|
Texas-Dallas
|
Katy, TX (Cinco Ranch HS)
|
|
No. 5
|
Elizabeth Sanford
|
Jr.
|
Mississippi College
|
Starkville, MS (SHS)
|
|
No. 6
|
Lauren Diaz
|
So.
|
Texas-Dallas
|
Spring, TX (Klein HS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 1
|
Rachel Houston & Megan Tan, Texas-Dallas
|
|
No. 2
|
Jean-Jean Gwo & Mindy Tiu, Texas-Dallas
|
|
No. 3
|
Lauren Diaz & Stephanie Lu, Texas-Dallas
|
-EAST HONORABLE MENTION-
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Sarah Case
|
Fr.
|
LeTourneau
|
Van Alstyne, TX (North Central Texas)
|
|
No. 3
|
Sydney Moak
|
Sr.
|
Mississippi College
|
Brookhaven, MS (BHS)
|
|
No. 4
|
Madison Morrhead
|
So.
|
Mississippi College
|
Minden, LA (Glenbrook HS)
|
|
|
Kayla Bonina
|
Fr.
|
LeTourneau
|
Carrollton, TX (Carrollton Christian)
|
|
No. 6
|
Allison Boyd
|
Fr.
|
Mississippi College
|
Brookhaven, MS (BHS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 2
|
Sydni Moak & Madison Moorhead, Mississippi College
|
ASC WEST DIVISION HONORS AND AWARDS
West Division Most Valuable Player: Lisa Mertz, No. 1/1, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
West Division Newcomer of the Year: Megan Richardson, No. 4/3, So., Mary Hardin-Baylor
West Division Freshman of the Year: Angie Nhan, No. 4/3, Fr., Hardin-Simmons
West Division Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: Lisa Mertz, No. 1/1, Sr., Hardin-Simmons
West Division Coach of the Year: James Cohagan, Mary Hardin-Baylor
(# indicates tie in voting at that position)
ASC ALL-WEST DIVISION
-WEST FIRST TEAM-
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Lisa Mertz
|
Sr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Cleburne, TX (CHS)
|
|
No. 2
|
Mallory Aarhus
|
Jr.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
Georgetown, TX (GHS)
|
|
No. 3
|
Rebecca Everett
|
Sr.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
Breckenridge, TX (BHS)
|
|
No. 4
|
Angie Nhan
|
Fr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Abilene, TX (AHS)
|
|
No. 5
|
Genen Haddad
|
Fr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Vernon, TX (VHS)
|
|
No. 6
|
AshLee Bilbo
|
Fr.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
College Station, TX (Bryan HS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 1
|
Megan & Mallory Aarhus, Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
|
No. 2
|
Lauren Jay & Genen Haddad, Hardin-Simmons#
|
|
|
Rebecca Everett & AshLee Bilbo, Mary Hardin-Baylor#
|
|
No. 3
|
Megan Richardson & Penelope Kittle, Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
-WEST SECOND TEAM-
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Megan Aarhus
|
Jr.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
Georgetown, TX (GHS)
|
|
No. 2
|
Lauren Jay
|
Jr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Kingwood, TX (KHS)
|
|
No. 3
|
Jennifer Chueng#
|
Sr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Abilene, TX (Cooper HS)
|
|
|
Hilary Stone#
|
Jr.
|
McMurry
|
Holiday, TX (HHS)
|
|
No. 4
|
Leslie Ruiz
|
Fr.
|
Sul Ross State
|
San Antonio, TX (Churchill HS)
|
|
No. 5
|
Lauren Knight
|
So.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
Belton, TX (BHS)
|
|
No. 6
|
Danielle Cochran
|
Sr.
|
Hardin-Simmons
|
Grapevine, TX (GHS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 1
|
Lisa Mertz & Jennifer Chueng, Hardin-Simmons
|
|
No. 2
|
Hilary Stone & Chelsea Miller, McMurry
|
|
No. 3
|
Gavee Olsen & Lacey Krusmark, McMurry
|
-WEST HONORABLE MENTION-
Singles
|
No. 1
|
Lauren Ivy
|
Jr.
|
Sul Ross State
|
Imperial, TX (Buena Vista HS)
|
|
No. 2
|
Sandy Torres
|
Sr.
|
Sul Ross State
|
Castroville, TX (Medina Valle)
|
|
No. 4
|
Megan Richardson
|
So.
|
Mary Hardin-Baylor
|
North Richland Hills, TX (NRHHS)
|
|
|
Chelsea Miller
|
So.
|
McMurry
|
Abilene, TX (Abilene Cooper HS)
|
|
No. 5
|
Monica Traylor
|
So.
|
Sul Ross State
|
Sonora, TX (SHS)
|
|
No. 6
|
Autumn Patterson
|
Fr.
|
McMurry
|
Spring, TX (Klein Oak HS)
|
Doubles
|
No. 1
|
Gabi Crunelle & Cassie Emerson, Howard Payne
|
|
No. 3
|
Angie Nhan & Alex Ortiz, Hardin-Simmons
|