April 22, 2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Five members of the No. 4 Vanderbilt women’s tennis team received 2015 Southeastern Conference accolades Wednesday afternoon, as announced by the conference office.
In his 21st season, head coach Geoff Macdonald was named the conferences’ Coach of the Year. Sydney Campbell and Astra Sharma were named to the All-SEC First Team, while Frances Altick and Courtney Colton were named to the Second Team. Redshirt freshman Sharma was selected to the All-Freshman team.
With four student-athlete honorees the Commodores tied UGA and UF for the most in the conference. Florida freshman Brooke Austin boasts both Player of the Year and freshman of the Year honors; as she was consistently ranked in the ITA top 10 and gave dominate performances for the Gators at the No. 1 singles/doubles position. The Crimson Tide’s Emily Zabor, a senior marketing major, won the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the year award. Voting for each honor was conducted by all 14 of the leagues head coaches previously this week.
In his 21 seasons with the black and gold Geoff Macdonald has a had one of his most tremendous years in 2015; earning his first SEC tournament title, 400th Commodore career win, and second SEC Coach of the Year award. Known as one of the best minds in the sport, Macdonald has made Vanderbilt University one of the top elite institutions in collegiate tennis. For the second year in a row VU boasts an unbeaten home record, a 21-0 match win streak.
“This award is voted on by my peers. It’s the best conference in college tennis so it’s a huge honor. Obviously you win this with a great group. Aleke (Tsoubanos) and I really co-coach and she’s going to be a great head coach soon, she really already is. So I share this with her and our team. This weekend we saw their guts and their heroic play, so thanks to the team.”
With two individuals earning First Team All-SEC honors, this is the most since the `Dores 2008 season where both Taka Bertrand and Amanda Taylor each received first team nods.
“They both really deserved this… Sydney is ranked top ten in the country and ranked high in singles and doubles. They (Campbell and Sharma) should both make the individual NCAA tournament. Astra’s improvement has been astonishing. The two of them winning a lot of matches at one and two makes us a solid team now, because we used to win a little more with depth.”
Sydney Campbell won named last season’s Co-Freshman of the year and was named the SEC All-freshman team. The sophomore’s dominance is still quite prevalent this season as Campbell was named First Team All-SEC for her dominating singles and doubles play as well as recording the Vanderbilt single-season win record at 33 victories.
After sustaining an injury last season, Astra Sharma returned this season as a redshirt freshman determined to make up for lost time. The Perth, Australia native was voted First Team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman team for her solid play at No. 2 singles and doubles; boasting a 13-2 record in singles and an undefeated 14-0 (12-0) record in tandems alongside partner Ashleigh Antal. Sharma is Vanderbilt’s first ever-SEC Tournament MVP. Earning the prestigious MVP honor as a freshman shows the promising bright future this VU squad has.
“I’m sure Astra was runner up for Freshman of the Year. When good people get awards it’s great you really feel happy for them. But Astra is really deserving of both honors. She’s one of the most exciting players in college tennis.”
Frances Altick is no stranger to SEC honors, earning first team accolades last season. Altick’s determined, fight-to-the death style of play makes her a standout not only in the eyes of the Vanderbilt loyal, but also the other 13 coaches in the SEC as she earns Second Team All-SEC honors in this season’s junior campaign.
Junior, Courtney Colton has been named to the Second Team All-SEC as well for her excellent 10-6 (5-2) doubles play alongside Campbell. Currently ranked No. 70 in singles by the ITA, Colton went on an eight-match win streak stretching throughout the fall. Known for her character and hard work ethic, Colton harnesses each of those traits to give VU her all in every outing.
“Frances and Courtney earning second team All-SEC is again so fantastic. I feel for those who didn’t get the honor. I think Marie Casares and Ashleigh Antal are deserving and invariably some great players are always left off and I’m sorry it was them.”
Vanderbilt will await the announcement of the NCAA regional sites on April 28th. The Commodores currently sit as the highest ranked team in the SEC at No. 4, with hopes of hosting the first and second rounds in Nashville for the second year in a row.
Honors:
First Team All-SEC
Maya Jansen, Alabama
Erin Routliffe, Alabama
Brooke Austin, Florida
Josie Kuhlman, Florida
Brianna Morgan, Florida
Lauren Herring, Georgia
Joana Vale, Costa LSU
Julia Jones, Ole Miss
Jasmine Lee, Mississippi State
Rachel Pierson, Texas A&M
Sydney Campbell, Vanderbilt
Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt
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Second Team All-SEC
Yuliya Lysa, Arkansas
Pleun Burgmans, Auburn
Kourtney Keegan, Florida
Silvia Garcia, Georgia
Ellen Perez, Georgia
Kennedy Shaffer, Georgia
Aldila Sutjiadi, Kentucky
Skylar Kuykendall, LSU
Elixane Lechemia, South Carolina
Rutuja Bhosale, Texas A&M
Saska Gavrilovska, Texas A&M
Frances Altick, VanderbiltÂ
Courtney Colton, Vanderbilt
All-Freshman
Brooke Austin, Florida
Josie Kuhlman, Florida
Ellen Perez, GeorgiaÂ
Kennedy Shaffer, GeorgiaÂ
Arianne Hartono, Ole MissÂ
Astra Sharma, Vanderbilt
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