ITA Honors 13 NESCAC Women's Tennis Players as All-America
HADLEY, Mass. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced on Monday the All-America honorees for the 2010-11 season with 13 women's tennis players from five different NESCAC teams earning honors. Included among the 13 players were Middlebury's Victoria Aiello and Tufts' Julia Browne, both of whom earned All-America for the third year in a row.
Browne, the three-time NESCAC Player of the Year, garnered All-America singles, advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA singles tournament a year after winning the individual nationals title. The senior was also honored as an All-American for her doubles play with Shelci Bowman and came away as the ITA Senior Player of the Year. The Tufts women's tennis team reached the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time in program history this year.
Aiello wrapped up her junior season as All-America and All-NESCAC First Team for the third time in as many years. She was joined from the Panthers by the doubles tandem of Brittany Faber and Leah Kepping on the All-America squad.
Williams had the most representatives among the conference's honorees with four individuals earning All-America accolades. Eph junior Kristin Alotta repeated as All-America, as she advanced all the way to the semifinals of the NCAA singles tournament. Also from Williams were the doubles tandem of Lucy Marchese and Nikki Reich along with Nancy Worley for her singles play. Williams College won its fourth consecutive NCAA women's tennis title this spring, a 5-4 winner over Amherst. The Ephs also earned their first NESCAC crown since 2004, also coming over Amherst.
Rookies Jordan Brewer and Gabby Devlin represented Amherst on the ITA All-America team. Brewer and Devlin teamed up to win the NCAA doubles tournament this past May. Brewer was named NESCAC Rookie of the Year and ITA Northeast Rookie of the Year.
Rounding out the ITA All-America team were Bowdoin's Kellen Alberstone and Kate Winingham. Alberstone earned singles and doubles recognition with partner Winingham and was also named the ITA Player to Watch.
All 13 individuals garnered All-NESCAC in some form. Nine of the 13 were members of the All-Conference First Team.
In order to be recognized by the ITA as All-America, a player must meet the following criteria: singles players must be a top eight seed in the NCAA singles tournament, or win one round at the NCAA singles tournament, or finish in the top 20 in the final ITA rankings, or win the ITA Fall Regional tournament, or win first-round match at the ITA National Small College Championships; doulbes players must be among the top four seeds in the NCAA doubles tournament, or win one round at the NCAA doubles tournament, or finish in the top 10 in the final ITA rankings, or win ITA Fall Regional tournament, or win a first round match at the ITA National Small College Championships.
