ROCHESTER, NY – Ithaca College added to its Empire 8 women's tennis championship with a trio of top honors amongst 2012 Women's Tennis All-Conference teams. The Bombers' Cristina Nunez (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Hills) was named the Player of the Year for the third time in her career (2009, 2010, 2012) while head coach Bill Austin picked up his eighth straight coach of the year award. Freshman Alyssa Steinweis (East Brunswick, NJ/East Brunswick) garnered Rookie of the Year honors.
Nunez recorded a perfect record in singles play in conference matches during the fall season with a 4-0 record in Empire 8 singles outings. She was 12-1 overall in singles play. Nunez was 8-2 overall in doubles, including 7-0 in Empire 8 regular-season duals. In addition to her Player of the Year honor, she earned first-team all-conference honors in both singles and doubles play. Nunez was named the MVP of the conference tournament and her dual match victory in the championship match tied her for the Ithaca career record in singles wins with 60 victories in just two and a half seasons.
Steinweis went a combined 12-1 in regular season singles-play this fall including a 4-0 mark against Empire 8 foes. She helped the Bombers to their eighth straight conference crown from the sixth singles position. In dual match doubles action, Steinweis went 4-0 between the #2 and #3 positions.
One member of each team was named that institution’s representative on the 2012 Women’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.
Listed below are the complete 2012 Empire 8 Women’s Tennis All-Conference Teams.
Empire 8 2012 Women’s Tennis All-Conference Awards
Player of the Year: Cristina Nunez, Ithaca College
Rookie of the Year: Alyssa Steinweis, Ithaca College
Coach of the Year: Bill Austin, Ithaca College
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FIRST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE |
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|
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Singles |
Yr. |
School |
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Cristina Nunez |
Sr. |
Ithaca |
|
Carly Siegel |
So. |
Ithaca |
|
Allison Tepas |
Jr. |
Nazareth |
|
Alex Vizgaitis |
Sr. |
Nazareth |
|
Jessica Bourque |
So. |
Stevens |
|
Lisa Tessitore |
Jr. |
Stevens |
|
|
|
|
|
Doubles |
|
|
|
Cristina Nunez/Ali Young |
|
Ithaca |
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Allison Tepas/Alex Vizgaitis |
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Nazareth |
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Jessica Bourque/Lisa Tessitore |
|
Stevens |
|
|
|
|
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SECOND TEAM ALL CONFERENCE |
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|
|
Singles |
|
|
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Ali Young |
Sr. |
Ithaca |
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Laurel Salladay |
Sr. |
Ithaca |
|
Christina Cary |
Sr. |
Nazareth |
|
Katie Pasier |
Jr. |
St. John Fisher |
|
Danielle Stewart |
So. |
Stevens |
|
Julia Guignard |
Fr. |
Stevens |
|
|
|
|
|
Doubles |
|
|
|
Laurel Salladay/Marni Blumenthal |
|
Ithaca |
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Carly Siegel/Allison Vizgaitis |
|
Ithaca |
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Danielle Stewart/Julia Guignard |
|
Stevens |
|
|
|
|
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SPORTSWOMAN of the YEAR |
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|
|
Brennan Ferguson |
So. |
Alfred |
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Ayaka Yoshino |
Fr. |
Elmira |
|
Nicole Schepisi |
So. |
Hartwick |
|
Allison Vizgaitis |
So. |
Ithaca |
|
Alex Vizgaitis |
Sr. |
Nazareth |
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Jennifer Lehner |
Sr. |
St. John Fisher |
|
Jessica Bourque |
So. |
Stevens |
|
Rose Zaloom |
Fr. |
Utica |
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HONORABLE MENTION |
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|
|
Singles |
|
|
|
Emma Jackson |
Fr. |
Alfred |
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Amy Schmidt |
So. |
Elmira |
|
Ayaka Yoshino |
Fr. |
Elmira |
|
Ruth Jones |
Fr. |
Hartwick |
|
Lauren Michels |
Sr. |
Hartwick |
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Nicole Schepisi |
So. |
Hartwick |
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Ami Petosa |
Fr. |
Nazareth |
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|
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Doubles |
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|
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Emma Jackson/Brennan Ferguson |
|
Alfred |
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Lauren Michels/Rebecca Clark |
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Hartwick |
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Katie Pasier/Jennifer Lehner |
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St. John Fisher |