SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU women’s tennis player Laylo Bakhodirova has been named the Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week for all competition from April 5-11. The selection is made by the conference office.
 
A senior from Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Bakhodirova went a combined 5-1 last week, turning in a 3-0 record at the No. 1 singles position and a 2-1 mark at the top doubles flight.
 
In the Bucs’ 6-1 win over Mercer on Thursday, Bakhodirova rebounded from a 6-3 doubles loss to claim a 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 win over Teodora Ristic in singles play. Two days later, she and doubles partner Mariya Shumeika grabbed a 6-4 win over Chattanooga’s Caroline Gibbens and Jessie Young before Bakhodirova topped Young in singles action by a 6-2, 7-6 (10-4) in helping ETSU to another 6-1 team win. In Tuesday’s 7-0 win at Western Carolina, Bakhodirova won another second-set tiebreaker for a 6-1, 7-6 (7-5) win over Isabella Sambola in singles play after she and Shumeika downed Angela Perez and Leilany Ipunesso 6-3 in doubles.
 
Bakhodirova has now won seven straight singles matches and is 16-3 in dual action this spring, including a 6-0 mark in SoCon play. She and Shumeika are 14-6 together, including a 5-1 league record.
 
A marketing and supply chain management double major, Bakhodirova carries a 3.745 GPA. This is her second award of the season, as she also claimed the honor on Feb. 22.
 
Also nominated: Carol Pyon (Mercer women’s golf), Kaden Dreier (Samford baseball), Kaili Phillips (Chattanooga softball) and David Wiley (Wofford baseball).
 
2022-23 SoCon Student-Athletes of the Week
Sept. 7       Abigail Robertson, Sr., Furman women’s cross country
Sept. 14      Chandler Martin, R-Fr., LB, ETSU football
Sept. 21      Collin Ironside, R-So., QB, VMI football
Sept. 28      Nieva Gaither, Jr., MF, Furman women’s soccer
Oct. 5         Kennedy Smith, Sr., OH, Wofford volleyball
Oct. 12       Maggie Lloyd, Jr., F, Western Carolina women’s soccer
Oct. 19       Nadia Wilson, So., D, UNCG women’s soccer
Oct. 26       Tarik Pannholzer, Jr., F, ETSU men’s soccer
Nov. 2        Megan Marvin, Jr., Furman women’s cross country
Nov. 9        Reuben Lowery III, So., DB, Chattanooga football
Nov. 16       Annie Karle, Gr., OH, Mercer volleyball
Nov. 23       Julian Ashby, Jr., LS, Furman football
Nov. 30       Abbey Cornelius, Sr., F, Chattanooga women’s basketball
Dec. 7        Lilly Hatton, Sr., F, Wofford women’s basketball
Dec. 14       Erin Houpt, So., G, Mercer women’s basketball
Dec. 21       Helen Matthews, Jr., G, Wofford women’s basketball
Dec. 28       Abbey Cornelius, Sr., F, Chattanooga women’s basketball
Jan. 4         Kyla Allison, Gr., G, Western Carolina women’s basketball
Jan. 11       Lincoln Heck, So., 157, Chattanooga wrestling
Jan. 18       Rebekah Howard, R-Jr., ETSU women’s indoor track and field
Jan. 25       Ty Kimberlin, Gr., Samford men’s indoor track and field
Feb. 1         Megan Marvin, Jr., Furman women’s indoor track and field
Feb. 8         Yunuen Elizarraras, Gr., ETSU women’s tennis
Feb. 15       Kate Mattison, 5^th, Western Carolina indoor track and field
Feb. 22       Laylo Bakhodirova, Sr., ETSU women’s tennis
March 1      Megan Marvin, Jr., Furman women’s indoor track and field
March 8      Addie Grace Porter, So., Chattanooga women’s basketball
March 15    Ryan Galanie, Sr., 1B, Wofford baseball
March 22    Kaili Phillips, R-Jr., INF, Chattanooga softball
March 29    Algot Kleen, So., ETSU men’s golf
April 5         Lucas Mahlstedt, So., RHP, Wofford baseball
April 12       Laylo Bakhodirova, Sr., ETSU women’s tennis