Fanney and Berry Honored By the SoCon in W. Tennis
4/23/2009 2:24:46 PM | Women's Tennis
Gavin McFarlin - Assistant SID
DAVIDSON, N.C. – In leading the Wildcat women's tennis team to their eighth straight winning campaign in league play, junior Virginia Berry (Spartanburg, S.C.) and senior Michele Fanney (Virginia Beach, Va.) were named to the first and second All-Southern Conference teams as announced on Thursday, Apr. 23, by the league office prior to the opening of the SoCon Tournament this weekend.
Berry was also honored with the Sportsmanship Award as voted on by the league's coaches, the second straight year a Wildcat has won the award. The junior shared it this season with Grace Robinette of Chattanooga.
Davidson, which finished 6-4 in SoCon action and 11-11 overall during the regular season, made it eight straight seasons it has placed at least one player on either the first or second teams.
Finishing with a team-best 16-6 dual singles mark in the regular season, Berry garnered her first nod on the first team after being named to the second team at No. 2 singles last season. The junior is one win away from tying her career-high in wins,which she set during her freshman campaign. Berry's season was highlighted by a team-best eight-match win streak that saw her go undefeated in league play until the final regular season match against Furman.
The junior enters the SoCon Tournament having won 13 of her last 16 singles matches. She has also been a key member for the Wildcats' No. 1 doubles team, having been part of the team since the second match of the year. Berry has tallied 10 wins, playing with Fanney or Alison Rauh (Trier, Germany) at No. 1.
For her career, Berry has recorded 47 singles wins, 20 of them in league matches, and 40 doubles victories.
Fanney had a solid year as she was matched up against some of the top talent at the No. 1 position. As the Wildcats' No. 1 singles player, Fanney compiled a 10-11 record, including a 6-4 mark in league matches. The senior was one of four 'Cats to hit the 10-win mark on the year.
Like Berry, Fanney has also excelled in doubles play, getting a combined 10 wins with partners Molly McDevitt (Albuquerque, N.M.), Romina Clemente (Canton, Ohio) or Berry at either the No. 1 or 2 doubles positions.
The senior, who was the No. 1 player on the league's second team, enters the tournament with 43 career singles wins and another 54 in doubles action.
Furman swept two of the three major SoCon awards with Laura Gioia picking up Player of the Year honors and Debbie Southern earning Coach of the Year as voted on by the league's head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team members. Elon's Elisa Simonetti was the SoCon's Freshman of the Year.
Davidson, which is seeded fifth, earned a bye into the quarterfinals of the tournament this weekend where it will face fourth-seeded Georgia Southern on Friday, Apr. 24 for a 9 a.m. match.
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
All-Freshman Team
Caroline Newman, CofC
Shaina Singh, Chattanooga
Emily Hangstefer, Chattanooga
Elisa Simonetti, Elon
Susan Bitetti, Furman
Lucy Dougherty, UNC Greensboro
Player of the Year
Laura Gioia, Furman
Freshman of the Year
Elisa Simonetti, Elon
Sportsmanship Award
Grace Robinette, Chattanooga
Virginia Berry, Davidson
Coach of the Year
Debbie Southern, Furman
Berry was also honored with the Sportsmanship Award as voted on by the league's coaches, the second straight year a Wildcat has won the award. The junior shared it this season with Grace Robinette of Chattanooga.
Davidson, which finished 6-4 in SoCon action and 11-11 overall during the regular season, made it eight straight seasons it has placed at least one player on either the first or second teams.
Finishing with a team-best 16-6 dual singles mark in the regular season, Berry garnered her first nod on the first team after being named to the second team at No. 2 singles last season. The junior is one win away from tying her career-high in wins,which she set during her freshman campaign. Berry's season was highlighted by a team-best eight-match win streak that saw her go undefeated in league play until the final regular season match against Furman.
The junior enters the SoCon Tournament having won 13 of her last 16 singles matches. She has also been a key member for the Wildcats' No. 1 doubles team, having been part of the team since the second match of the year. Berry has tallied 10 wins, playing with Fanney or Alison Rauh (Trier, Germany) at No. 1.
For her career, Berry has recorded 47 singles wins, 20 of them in league matches, and 40 doubles victories.
Fanney had a solid year as she was matched up against some of the top talent at the No. 1 position. As the Wildcats' No. 1 singles player, Fanney compiled a 10-11 record, including a 6-4 mark in league matches. The senior was one of four 'Cats to hit the 10-win mark on the year.
Like Berry, Fanney has also excelled in doubles play, getting a combined 10 wins with partners Molly McDevitt (Albuquerque, N.M.), Romina Clemente (Canton, Ohio) or Berry at either the No. 1 or 2 doubles positions.
The senior, who was the No. 1 player on the league's second team, enters the tournament with 43 career singles wins and another 54 in doubles action.
Furman swept two of the three major SoCon awards with Laura Gioia picking up Player of the Year honors and Debbie Southern earning Coach of the Year as voted on by the league's head coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own team members. Elon's Elisa Simonetti was the SoCon's Freshman of the Year.
Davidson, which is seeded fifth, earned a bye into the quarterfinals of the tournament this weekend where it will face fourth-seeded Georgia Southern on Friday, Apr. 24 for a 9 a.m. match.
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
All-Freshman Team
Caroline Newman, CofC
Shaina Singh, Chattanooga
Emily Hangstefer, Chattanooga
Elisa Simonetti, Elon
Susan Bitetti, Furman
Lucy Dougherty, UNC Greensboro
Player of the Year
Laura Gioia, Furman
Freshman of the Year
Elisa Simonetti, Elon
Sportsmanship Award
Grace Robinette, Chattanooga
Virginia Berry, Davidson
Coach of the Year
Debbie Southern, Furman
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