SPARTANBURG, S.C. ? Furman senior Laura Gioia has been named the Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year as part of the league’s postseason balloting.  Elon’s Elisa Simonetti has been named the Freshman of the Year while Furman’s Debbie Southern collected Coach of the Year honors.  Davidson’s Virginia Berry and Grace Robinette shared the league’s Sportsmanship Award.  Postseason balloting was done by the league’s head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own team members. 

Southern, who won her seventh consecutive Coach of the Year Award, guided the Paladins to the SoCon regular season championship with mark of 10-0 in league play and a mark of 15-7 during the spring season. 

Gioia, ranked 19 in the latest ITA rankings, completed the regular season 17-4, including a perfect 10-0 mark at No. 1 singles for the Paladins.  She shared the Player of the Year Award with Chattanooga’s Anastasia Zhukova in 2007.

In addition to garnering Player of the Year Honors, Gioia was selected first team all-conference for the fourth consecutive season.  She was joined on the first team by her teammate Monica Arguello who went 10-0 in league play.  Arguello is ranked No. 88 in the most recent ITA rankings.

Other first team all-conference members include UNC Greensboro’s Alejandra Guerra, last season’s Player of the Year.  Ranked No. 83 in the latest ITA rankings, Guerra finished the spring season 15-3 in dual matches and was 9-1 in league play.  Elon’s Anna Milian and Samford’s Taylor Morgan were also voted to the first team all-conference.  The sixth player named first team all-conference was Davidson’s Virginia Berry.

Furman’s team of Gioia and Arguello were named to the conference’s first team for doubles.  UNC Greensboro’s doubles tandem of Alejandra Guerra and Arielle VonStrolley, along with Valerie Behr and Lucy Dougherty rounded out the first team.

Second team all-conference selections were awarded based on position.  Michele Fanney of Davidson earned the nod at No. 1 singles, while Holly Dowse of College of Charleston was chosen at No. 2.  Furman’s Jessica Preeg (No. 3) and Jennifer Betts (No. 6) also garnered second team honors.  Georgia Southern’s Melanie Rolle (No. 4) and UNCG’s Lucy Dougherty (No. 5) rounded out the second team singles selections.

Elon’s Milian and Paige Kensrue were tabbed second team at No. 1 doubles, while Jessica Diamond and Andrie Meiring were selected for No. 2 doubles.  College of Charleston’s Dowse and Caroline Newman garnered second team all-conference plaudits at No. 3 doubles.

Simonetti captured the Freshman of the Year Award as she finished conference play 8-2 in singles action, which also earned her a spot on the league’s inaugural all-freshman team.   College of Charleston’s Caroline Newman, Chattanooga’s Shaina Singh and Emily Hangstefer, Furman’s Susan Bitetti and UNC Greensboro’s Lucy Dougherty comprised the first-year team.

The Elon Phoenix play host to the 2009 Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Championships this week at the Jimmy Powell Tennis Center and the Burlington Tennis Center.  Tournament action begins Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

2009 Women’s Tennis Award Winners

First Team

Singles

Monica Arguello, Furman

Virginia Berry, Davidson

Laura Gioia, Furman

Alejandra Guerra, UNC Greensboro

Anna Milian, Elon

Taylor Morgan, Samford

Doubles

Laura Gioia/ Monica Arguello ? Furman

Alejandra Guerra/Arielle VonStrolley ? UNC Greensboro

Valerie Behr/Lucy Dougherty ? UNC Greensboro

Second Team

Singles (by position)

No. 1 ? Michele Fanney, Davidson

No. 2 ? Holly Dowse ? CofC

No. 3 ? Jessica Preeg, Furman

No. 4 ? Melanie Rolle, Georgia Southern

No. 5 ? Lucy Dougherty, UNC Greensboro

No. 6 ? Jennifer Betts, Furman

Doubles

No. 1 - Paige Kensrue/Anna Milian ? Elon

No. 2 - Jessica Diamond/Andrie Meiring ? Samford

No. 3 - Holly Dowse/Caroline Newman - CofC