Big Ten Women’s Tennis All-Conference Team and Individual Awards Announced
Maryland and Ohio State take home individual honors
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conferenced announced the women’s tennis all-conference team and individual award winners on Wednesday. Ohio State’s Shiori Fukuda was named Athlete of the Year, while Maryland’s Ayana Akli was honored as Freshman of the Year.
Fukuda is the Buckeye’s third Big Ten Athlete of the Year in the last five seasons, joining Francesca Di Lorenzo who earned the title in 2016 and 2017. Fukuda led Ohio State to a 9-3 record while earning 2020 ITA All-America plaudits. She posted a 24-7 overall singles record and a 9-3 dual mark, climbing to a career-high eighth ITA ranking during the season. The junior finished the season at No. 11, the highest ranked Big Ten athlete.
Akli is the first Terrapin in school history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Akli finished her freshman year with a 21-3 singles record and 16-5 doubles record playing solely at the No. 1 position in singles and doubles. She is currently ranked 90th by the ITA after climbing as high as No. 71 this season. Akli posted a team-leading nine dual match victories at the No. 1 position in her first season as a Terrapin.
The complete list of All-Big Ten selections and Sportsmanship honorees can be found below.
2019-20 All-Big Ten Women’s Tennis Awards
As selected by Big Ten coaches
ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Asuka Kawai, Illinois
Mia Rabinowitz, Illinois
ELISE VAN HEUVELEN TREADWELL, IOWA
AYANA AKLI, MARYLAND
Andrea Cerdan, Michigan
GIULIA PAIRONE, MICHIGAN
Mary Lewis, Michigan State
Dalila Said, Minnesota
CLAIRE REIFEIS, NEBRASKA
JULIE BRYNE, NORTHWESTERN
SHIORI FUKUDA, OHIO STATE
Danielle Wolf, Ohio State
Ena Babic, Purdue
DENISE STOICA, WISCONSIN
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Shiori Fukuda, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Ayana Akli, Maryland
Unanimous selections designated in ALL CAPS
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Josie Frazier, Illinois
Annabelle Andrinopoulos, Indiana
Danielle Bauers, Iowa
Saya Usui, Maryland
Nicole Hammond, Michigan
Sammie Memije, Michigan State
Cammy Frei, Minnesota
Isabel Adrover Gallego, Nebraska
Hannah McColgan, Northwestern
Kolie Allen, Ohio State
Gracey Hirsch, Penn State
Zala Dovnik, Purdue
Sydney Kaplan, Rutgers
Xinyu Cai, Wisconsin