ARLINGTON, Texas – Grand Canyon’s Natasha Puehse and Santa Strombacha have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Women’s Tennis Players of the Week, for the match week ending on Monday, Apr. 8.
 
Puehse (Gr.) secures her third weekly singles award of the year after having a dominant weekend in the top singles court, recording two straight set wins. Puehse started the weekend with a 6-0, 6-1 victory over Abilene Christian’s Olivia Sears and capped it off with a win against Tarleton State’s Emma Persson 6-4, 6-0. Puehse jumps to #96 in the ITA national rankings and has now won 16 of her last 17 matches on the number one singles court.
 
Puehse and Strombacha (Sr.) go back-to-back in the weekly doubles awards as the duo went 2-0 on the top doubles court. The pair collected wins over ACU’s Maria Cascos/Masha Vrsalovic 6-2, followed by another 6-2 victory against Tarleton State’s Maretha Burger/Martha Makantasi. Puehse and Strombacha played a big role for the Lopes this past weekend, as they helped GCU clinch at least a share of the WAC Regular-Season title and the #1 seed in the WAC Tournament.

2024 TicketSmarter WAC Women’s Tennis Players Weekly Awards
 
WOMEN’S SINGLES PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Natasha Puehse, Gr., Grand Canyon (Jan. 16)
Ksenia Mamontova, So., Stephen F. Austin (Jan. 23)
Emma Persson, So., Tarleton State (Jan. 30)
Ksenia Mamontova, So., Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 6)
Natasha Puehse, Gr., Grand Canyon (Feb. 13)
Marjorie Souza, Jr., UTRGV (Feb. 20)
Natasha Puehse, Gr., Grand Canyon (Feb. 27)
Elena Kraleva, Jr., Seattle U (Mar. 5)
Sarina Reinertsen, Jr., UT Arlington (Mar. 12)
Marjorie Souza, Jr., UTRGV (Mar. 19)
Elena Kraleva, Jr., Seattle U (Mar. 26)
Santa Strombacha, Sr., Grand Canyon (Apr. 2)
Natasha Puehse, Gr., Grand Canyon (Apr. 9)

WOMEN’S DOUBLES PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Natasha Puehse, Gr., and Santa Strombacha, Sr., Grand Canyon (Jan. 16)
Jemma Cave, So., and Felicia Back, So., Stephen F. Austin (Jan. 23)
Martha Makantasi, Sr., and Maretha Burger, Jr., Tarleton State (Jan. 30)
Carolina Chiatti, So., and Ksenia Mamontova, So., Stephen F. Austin (Feb. 6)
Lamija Avdic, Fr., and Lola Tavcar, So., Seattle U (Feb. 13)
Martha Makantasi, Sr., and Maretha Burger, Jr., Tarleton State (Feb. 20)
Isabelle Bahr, Gr., and Marjorie Souza, Jr., UTRGV (Feb. 27)
Lamija Avdic, Fr., and Lola Tavcar, So., Seattle U (Mar. 5)
Mariana Manyoma-Velasquez, Jr., and Tara Gorinsek, Jr., UT Arlington (Mar. 12)
Isabelle Bahr, Gr., and Marjorie Souza, Jr., UTRGV (Mar. 19)
Elena Kravela, Jr., and Jade Quintana, Jr., Seattle U (Mar. 26)
Natasha Puehse, Gr., and Santa Strombacha, Sr., Grand Canyon (Apr. 2)
Natasha Puehse, Gr., and Santa Strombacha, Sr., Grand Canyon (Apr. 9)