ROCHESTER, NY – Jessica Borque of regular season conference champion Stevens Institute of Technology was named the Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year as the 2011 Empire 8 Women’s Tennis All-Conference Team was announced.
Borque posted a 17-1 record, finishing 8-0 in Empire 8 play and going undefeated in dual match play. She reached the semifinals of the ITA Championships and led the Ducks to an 11-1 record. Borque also earned first-team all-conference honors with Lisa Tessitore at first doubles.
First-year player Danielle Stewart of the Ducks also garnered first-team recognition in singles after posting a 12-5 overall record, including a 7-1 mark in Empire 8 play, at third singles.
Junior Ali Young and first-year player Carly Siegel of Empire 8 champion Ithaca College were selected on the all-conference first team. Young posted a 6-3 record at first singles in conference play and earned first-team honors at first doubles with Empire 8 Women’s Tennis Championship Most Valuable Player Becky Guzzo. Siegel finished 6-2 in conference play at second singles.
Sophomore Alison Tepas of Nazareth College is the only repeat first-team all-conference performer. She went 8-0 in Empire 8 play at second singles and 10-0 overall in dual matches.
Senior Elena Vahl of St. John Fisher College was named to the first team for the second time in her career after posting a 6-2 mark at first singles in Empire 8 play.
Bill Austin was selected as Empire 8 Coach of the Year for the seventh consecutive year after leading Ithaca to its seventh straight conference title and sixth consecutive bid to the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Championship.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2011Women’s Tennis Sportswoman of the Year Team. Empire 8 emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete’s experience in conjunction with an institution’s educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportswomen.
Empire 8 2011 Women’s Tennis All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Jessica Borque, Stevens Institute of Technology
Rookie of the Year: Jessica Borque, Stevens Institute of Technology
Coach of the Year: Bill Austin, Ithaca College