FRESNO, Calif. – The Western Athletic Conference 2010 women’s tennis award winners, as selected by the league’s head coaches, were announced tonight at the WAC Tennis Tournament banquet. Boise State’s Pichittra Thongdach was named WAC Player of the Year, while Emma Verberne of Nevada was selected as Freshman of the Year. Boise State head coach Mark Tichenor earned Coach of the Year honors.
Thongdach, who is currently ranked No. 51 nationally, posted a 28-13 overall record on the year at No. 1 singles. She was 5-2 in WAC play and is 5-7 vs. ranked opponents this year. She also teamed with Lauren Megale at No. 1 doubles to post a 29-9 record. The pair are currently ranked No. 45 nationally. Pichittra has spent the entire season ranked in the top 60 in both singles and doubles, reaching as high as No. 27 in singles and No. 23 in doubles.
Verberne went 19-10 on the year, including a 6-2 mark in WAC play, primarily at No. 2 singles. She was named WAC Player of the Week on Jan. 19 after helping Nevada pick up a 4-3 WAC win over Hawai’i with a straight-sets win at No. 3 singles.
Tichenor led the Broncos to a 20-5 mark this season, including a perfect 8-0 record in WAC play. Boise State is the top seed in this week’s WAC Tournament. This is the first time he has earned WAC Coach of the Year honors in his 11 years with the program.
2010 WAC Women’s Tennis Award Winners
First Team All-WAC Singles
Renata Kucerkova, Fresno State
Lauren Megale, Boise State
Maria Mizyuk, Nevada
Gabriela Niculescu, Idaho
Anastasia Petukhova, Fresno State
Pichittra Thongdach, Boise State
First Team All-WAC Doubles
Sophie Kobuch/Katarina Poljakova, Hawai’i
Lauren Megale/Pichittra Thongdach, Boise State
Gabriela Niculescu/Maria Perevoshchikova, Idaho
Second Team All-WAC Singles
Bianca Jochimsen, Boise State
Sophie Kobuch, Hawai’i
Sophia Marks, New Mexico State
Maria Perevoshchikova, Idaho
Vivian ten Dolle, Louisiana Tech
Emma Verberne, Nevada
Second Team All-WAC Doubles
Sophia Marks/Manon Sylvain, New Mexico State
Maria Mizyuk/Sophie Stevens, Nevada
Laura Pola/Renata Kucerkova, Fresno State
WAC Player of the Year: Pichittra Thongdach, Boise State
WAC Freshman of the Year: Emma Verberne, Nevada
WAC Coach of the Year: Mark Tichenor, Boise State