SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Furman senior Monica Arguello has been named the Southern Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Year as the league announced its postseason awards Tuesday (April 19). Elon's Jordan Johnston was named the conference's Freshman of the Year. Chattanooga's Jenna Nurik earned the Sportsmanship Award while College of Charleston head coach Angelo Anastopoulo took home the league's Coach of the Year honor. Postseason balloting was conducted by the league's head coaches who were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.
Arguello finished the spring campaign with a 17-4 mark at No. 1 singles for the Paladins. She posted a perfect 10-0 record in conference play. Sixteen of her 17 victories this spring came in straight sets. In addition to taking home the league's Player of the Year Award, Arguello was also named to the league's all-conference first team. It is the fourth time in her career she has earned first-team all-conference honors.
Anastopoulo earned the league's Coach of the Year Award for this third time in his career as the Cougars won the conference's regular season championship with a perfect 10-0 mark. College of Charleston finished the spring 18-7 and eight of his Cougars took home all-conference honors.
Nurik claimed the league's Sportsmanship Award after finishing the spring 12-9 at No. 1 singles for the Lady Mocs. The Sophomore from Roswell, Ga., went 5-5 in conference matches for UTC and helped the Mocs finish 6-4 in league play.
Elon's Johnston was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year after posting a 13-6 record. A native of Snellville, Ga., Johnston went 11-5 for the Phoenix at No. 1 singles and was 6-4 in conference play. In addition to earning the Freshman of the Year Award, Johnston was named to the league's All-Freshman Team and was named first team all-conference.
Joining Johnston and Arguello on the first team all-conference are College of Charleston's Emma Hayman and Christin Newman, UNCG's Niltooli Wilkins and Samford's Taylor Morgan.
Morgan and teammate Lindsey Mallory were named one of three first team all-conference doubles teams along with UNCG's Alex Whitehead and Stephanie Macfarlane and Niltooli Wilkins and Lucy Dougherty.
The second team all-conference selections are awarded based on position. Nurik was given the nod at No. 1 singles. Samford's Andrie Meiring and Kristin Lewis were tabbed at No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, while College of Charleston's Caroline Newman and Kelly Kambourelis were slotted at No. 3 and No. 5. Mallory (Samford) and Keely Mulligan (College of Charleston) tied for the No. 6 singles position.
College of Charleston took the top two doubles positions on the second team with Hayman and Irene Viana tabbed at No. 1, while Kinsey Casey and Katie Lee were slotted at No. 2. Furman's Jennifer Betts and Arguello garnered the No. 3 position.
Furman's Margaret Boyette and Katherine Oudin were named to the league's all-freshman team, along with Georgia Southern's Paola Garrido, Samford's Lewis, Chattanooga's Alexa Flynn and Elon's Johnston.
The 2011 Southern Conference Men's and Women's Tennis Championships begin Wednesday at the Champions Club in Chattanooga, Tenn.
2011 SoCon Women's Tennis Postseason Awards
First Team
Singles
Emma Hayman, College of Charleston
Christin Newman, College of Charleston
Jordan Johnston, Elon
Monica Arguello, Furman
Niltooli Wilkins, UNCG
Taylor Morgan, Samford
Doubles
Alex Whitehead/Stephanie Macfarlane, UNCG
Niltooli Wilkins/Lucy Dougherty, UNCG
Taylor Morgan/Lindsey Mallory, Samford
Second Team
Singles (by position)
No. 1 - Jenna Nurik, Chattanooga
No. 2 - Andrie Meiring, Samford
No. 3 - Caroline Newman, College of Charleston
No. 4 - Kristin Lewis, Samford
No. 5 - Kelly Kambourelis, College of Charleston
No. 6 - Lindsey Mallory, Samford
Keely Mulligan, College of Charleston
Doubles (by position)
No. 1 - Emma Hayman/Irene Viana, CofC
No. 2 - Kinsey Casey/Katie Lee, CofC
No. 3 - Monica Arguello/Jennifer Betts, Furman
All-Freshman
Jordan Johnston, Elon
Margaret Boyette, Furman
Katherine Oudin, Furman
Paola Garrido, Georgia Southern
Kristin Lewis, Samford
Alexa Flynn, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year
Jordan Johnston
Sportsmanship Award
Jenna Nurik, Chattanooga
Player of the Year
Monica Arguello, Furman
Coach of the Year
Angelo Anastopoulo