Liberty Women's Tennis Features 4 in ASUN Postseason Awards

2021 ASUN Conference Women's Tennis Postseason Honors & Awards
2021 ASUN Conference Women's Tennis All-Academic Team 

Four Liberty women's tennis players were honored in the 2021 ASUN Conference Women's Tennis Postseason Honors & Awards, released on Thursday afternoon by the conference.

Sophomore Alexandra Almborg has been named to the ASUN All-Conference first team. Freshmen Esther Lovato and Tiffany Nguyen each earned ASUN All-Conference second team and ASUN All-Freshman team distinction.

Senior Grace Hashiguchi garnered inclusion on the ASUN Conference All-Academic team.

"Alex, Esther, Tif and Grace played vital role on our team and are deserving of this recognition," said Liberty Women's Tennis Head Coach Jeff Maren. "I'm proud of their dedication and willingness to work hard to maximize their gifts. They are special to this program, and we are thankful for them!"  

Liberty, North Florida and FGCU each featured three all-conference selections. The Lady Flames finished the 2021 campaign with an 18-7 overall record and a 6-0 mark in ASUN North Division play. Liberty's 18 wins are tied for the second most in a season in program history.

Alexandra Almborg
This is Almborg's second career ASUN honor, as she received ASUN All-Freshman team distinction in 2019. Almborg won 11 singles matches this spring, all in the No. 1 slot in the lineup. The Staffanstorp, Sweden native claimed six of her last eight singles matches, including a 7-6 (5), 7-5 victory over FGCUs Maja Ornberg in the ASUN Championship semifinals.

Almborg also went 14-9 in the No. 1 doubles slot this spring, with all of those victories coming with Eloise Saraty as her partner. Almborg and Saraty posted a 3-2 mark in ASUN regular season matches.

Esther Lovato
Lovato led the team with 23 singles victories in 2021 and posted a nearly perfect 23-1 record. The Austin, Texas native won her first 19 matches of the season, 18 of which came in straight sets. Lovato was 6-0 in ASUN regular season singles contests. In two seasons at Liberty, she is a combined 41-6 (.872) in singles.

In doubles, Lovato went 9-3 on the year. She was 4-0 with Marina Davtyan in the No. 3 slot and 5-3 (1-0 No. 2, 4-3 No. 3) with Grace Hashiguchi as her partner.

Tiffany Nguyen
Nguyen was named ASUN Player of the Week on Feb. 17. The native of Thu Dau Mot, Vietnam won 12 singles matches this spring, 10 in the No. 2 position and two in the No. 1 slot in the lineup. Nguyen posted a 4-1 record in ASUN singles contests.

In doubles, Nguyen and her partner, Micaela Ode Mitre, led the team with 15 victories, 14 of which came in the No. 2 slot. Nguyen and Ode Mitre were 4-1 in ASUN doubles matches. Nguyen led all Lady Flames with 16 doubles wins.

Grace Hashiguchi
Hashiguchi, a native of Lynchburg, Va., carries a 3.74 GPA as a mathematics major and will graduate in May. The senior is a three-time ITA Scholar Athlete and two-time ASUN Academic Honor Roll recipient.

During her senior season, Hashiguchi won 12 doubles matches and six singles contests. In doubles, she held a 7-2 mark with Davtyan and a 5-3 mark with Lovato.

2021 ASUN Conference Women's Tennis Postseason Honors & Awards
Player of the Year: Lucia Montano, North Florida
Doubles Pair of the Year: Lucia Montano and Constanza Gorches, North Florida
Freshman of the Year: Annabelle Davis, North Florida
Coach of the Year: Catherine Dunagan, North Florida

ASUN First Team All-Conference
*Lucia Montano, North Florida, Sr.
*Catherine Guilhur, North Florida, Jr.
Fanny Norin, FGCU, Fr.
Taylor Dean, Kennesaw State, So.
Alexandra Almborg, Liberty, So.  
Kate Popova, Lipscomb, Sr.
Anais Gabriel, Stetson, Jr.

ASUN Second Team All-Conference
Ida Ferding, FGCU, So.
Alba Retortillo, FGCU, So.
Esther Lovato, Liberty, Fr.
Tiffany Nguyen, Liberty, Fr.
Annabelle Davis, North Florida, Fr.
Katie Kubicz, Stetson, Sr.

ASUN All-Freshman Team
*Annabelle Davis, North Florida
*Fanny Norin, FGCU
*Tiffany Nguyen, Liberty
Taylor Dean, Kennesaw State
Esther Lovato, Liberty
Sasha Dobranos, Lipscomb

* - Denotes a unanimous selection
** - A tie in voting resulted in a seven-person first team

2021 ASUN Conference Women's Tennis All-Academic Team
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Catherine Gulihur, North Florida

2021 ASUN Conference All-Academic Team
*Catherine Gulihur, North Florida, Jr.
Maja Ornberg, FGCU, Sr.
Grace Hashiguchi, Liberty, Sr.
Kate Popova, Lipscomb, Sr.
Nina Linke, North Alabama, Gr.
Valentina Mariotto, North Florida, Sr.

* - Denotes a unanimous selection