Marshall University Athletics
Smith Earns All-Conference USA Accolades
4/27/2018 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
IRVING, Texas - Senior Stephanie Smith was named a Seond Team All-Conference USA Singles performer for the 2018 season, the league office announced Friday afternoon.
The honor marks the second straight year Smith earned second team marks from the conference, albeit in much tougher conditions this year compared to 2017. The All-Conference USA awards were shrunk from three 12-player teams in 2017 to two eight-player teams in 2018.
"I'm glad to see Stephanie get recognized," head coach John Mercer said. "She had a great season and stepped up for us at the No. 1 spot. Her three wins over ranked opponents showed a great step forward for her. It's a tremendous honor for her to be named all-conference and all-academic in the same year and I'm proud of the work she put in this year. She deserves this honor."
Smith was tied for the team lead with 11 singles wins this season, including three over ranked opponents. Smith also posted seven doubles wins at the No. 1 spot, playing at the top of the lineup in both singles and doubles for the first time in her career. Smith earned the first Conference USA Athlete of the Week award for a Marshall athlete in seven years and was one of six members of the 2018 InTouch Credit Union C-USA All-Academic Team.
Smith's honor marks the 13th consecutive season that the Herd has produced an All-Conference USA player and the 17th straight season that Marshall has produced an all-conference player dating back to its time in the Mid-American Conference. MAC records only go back to 2002.
All-Conference USA Singles
First Team
*Ulyana Grib, FIU
*Andrea Lazaro, FIU (Most Outstanding Championship Singles Player)
Aliona Bolsova, Florida Atlantic (Player of the Year, Newcomer of the Year)
*Maria Kononova, North Texas
*Holly Hutchinson, Old Dominion
Nataliia Vlasova, Old Dominion
*Lindsey Hodge, Rice
*Wendy Zhang, Rice
Moka Ito, WKU (Freshman of the Year)
Second Team
*Maryna Veksler, FIU
Natalia Boltinskava, Florida Atlantic
*Stephanie Smith, Marshall
Kim Kermet, Middle Tennessee
*Tamuna Kutubidze, North Texas
Victoria Olivarez, Old Dominion
Yulia Starodubtseva, Old Dominion
Michaela Haet, Rice
Marlene Herrmann, UAB
* designates a repeat honoree
Players Mentioned
