SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Furman’s Ansley Speaks has been named the 2016 Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year as the league announced its postseason awards Tuesday (April 19). Furman’s Adam Herendeen was named the league’s Coach of the Year, while Furman’s Katarina Weymouth was tabbed the Freshman of the Year. UNCG’s Amy Ellis earned the Sportsmanship Award. Postseason balloting was conducted by the league’s head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.

Speaks, who was also the league’s Player of the Year in 2014, finished the spring 14-8 at No. 1 singles and posted a 5-2 record in league play. She is the fourth Paladin to earn the Player of the Year award multiple times, joining Megan Dunigan (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002), Mary Neill Hagood (2004, 2005) and Laura Gioia (2007, 2009). Speaks was also named first-team all-conference for the third consecutive season.

Herendeen garnered Coach of the Year honors in his first season with the Paladins. Herendeen led Furman to a 14-8 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in league play. This season’s conference championship is the 20^th regular-season title for the Paladins, who will be seeking their first tournament title since 2008 later this week. Six of Herendeen’s players earned postseason awards this year.

Weymouth competed at No. 2 singles for the Paladins and posted a record of 16-5 this spring. She was a perfect 7-0 in conference play and becomes the 10^th Paladin to be named the Freshman of the Year. Weymouth was also named first-team all-conference in singles. She and Speaks formed Furman’s top doubles team this spring and were named first-team all-conference in doubles. Furman’s top tandem went 12-9 at No. 1 singles in 2016 and was 6-1 in SoCon matches together.

UNCG’s Ellis earned the league’s Sportsmanship Award, becoming the first Spartan to win the award. The senior from Cheshire, Great Britain, has competed at the top three singles positions for UNCG this season.

Speaks and Weymouth were joined on the all-conference first team by ETSU’s Lyn Yee Choo and Chattanooga’s Kayla Jones, who each were named to the first team for the second consecutive season. WCU’s Stacia Kissell was named first-team all-conference after earning the same honor in 2014. Mercer’s Katia Stravroulaki was also selected to the first team, rounding out the six selections.

Three teams were selected for first team all-conference in doubles play. In addition to Furman’s Speaks and Weymouth, ETSU’s Choo and Ana Gerbasi were named first team, marking the second consecutive season ETSU’s top tandem has garnered the award. Chattanooga’s Jones and Kelsey Coots were also selected to the first team.

The second-team all-conference selections are awarded based on position. Samford’s Jessica Northcutt was chosen at No. 1 singles, while Chattanooga’s Coots earned the nod at the No. 2 position. Chattanooga’s Samantha Caswell and ETSU’s Ioanna Markesini shared the nod at No. 3 singles. ETSU claimed the final three spots as Marina Espana, Melissa Esguerra and Gerbasi claimed positions four through six.

Samford’s Northcutt and Carita Moolman comprise the second-team No. 1 doubles team, while Furman’s Gabby Rodriguez and Blair Martin form the No. 2 team. The Paladins’ Karlee Bryde and Harper Caswell earned second-team doubles honors at No. 3.

Furman’s Weymouth was selected to the All-Freshman team, where she was joined by teammate Rodriguez. ETSU’s Espana, UNCG’s Sarah Swiderski, Western Carolina’s Savannah Taranto and Wofford’s Cassidy Hicks also garnered All-Freshman accolades.

The 2016 Southern Conference Women’s Tennis Championship begins Friday in Chattanooga, Tenn.

2016 SoCon Women’s Tennis Postseason Awards
First Team
Singles
Lyn Yee Choo, ETSU
Ansley Speaks, Furman
Katarina Weymouth, Furman
Katia Stravroulaki, Mercer
Kayla Jones, Chattanooga
Stacia Kissell, Western Carolina

Doubles
Lyn Yee Choo/Ana Gerbasi, ETSU
Ansley Speaks/Katarina Weymouth, Furman
Kayla Jones/Kelsey Coots, Chattanooga

Second Team
Singles (by position)
No. 1 – Jessica Northcutt, Samford
No. 2 – Kelsey Coots, Chattanooga
No. 3 – Samantha Caswell, Chattanooga
(tie) – Ioanna Markesini, ETSU
No. 4 – Marina Espana, ETSU
No. 5 – Melissa Esguerra, ETSU
No. 6 – Ana Gerbasi, ETSU

Doubles (by position)
No. 1 – Carita Moolman/Jessica Northcutt, Samford
No. 2 – Blair Martin/Gabby Rodriguez, Furman
No. 3 – Karlee Bryde/Harper Caswell, Furman