SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Senior Megan Sporndli and junior Lacey Pflibsen earned an All-West Coast Conference award in doubles for the second consecutive season, the conference announced on Friday. Both players also added singles second team honors to their collection of accolades.
The doubles team of Sporndli and Pflibsen went undefeated in WCC action this season and racked up a 9-6 overall record to earn first team honors. The duo were second team honorees a season ago.
Pflibsen, who hails from Vista, Calif., led the Pilots at the No. 1 spot and went 10-9 overall. The All-WCC second team selection marks the second straight for Pflibsen, after transferring from Portland State as a sophomore.
Sporndli played primarily at the No. 2 spot for the Pilots and posted a team-leading 11 wins. The Johannesburg, South Africa native has earned all-conference recognition in both singles and doubles every season since her sophomore year.
San Francisco's Jennifer Heinser was named the WCC Player of the Year, while Saint Mary's Catherine Isip and Coach Lisa Alipaz took home the WCC Freshman of the Year and WCC Coach of the Year honors, respectively.
Heinser's WCC Player of the Year honor is her third in three straight seasons. Throughout her entire career with the Dons, Heinser went undefeated in conference play. This season, Heinser tallied a 20-1 overall record, not giving up a single set in any of those wins, and was ranked No. 94 in the latest ITA singles rankings.
This year's WCC Freshman of the Year Isip has played primarily at the No. 2 spot for the Gaels, who won this year's WCC Championships for the first time in program history. Isip put together a 15-13 overall record in her first collegiate year and tallied wins over seven nationally-ranked opponents.
Coach Lisa Alipaz garnered WCC Coach of the Year honors for the fourth time in her career after leading her No. 38-ranked Saint Mary's tennis team to its first ever WCC title and upcoming appearance at the NCAA Championships in May. She is now in her 11th year with the Gaels.
The 2010 All-WCC First Team was selected by the conference coaches, based on overall season performance. All-WCC Second Team members were chosen based on the same criteria, plus performance at the recent WCC Championships. Below is a list of this year's All-WCC team.
Women’s Awards
Player of the Year: Jennifer Heinser, USF
Freshman of the Year: Catherine Isip, SMC
Coach of the Year: Lisa Alipaz, SMC
2010 All-WCC First Team Singles
Alex Poorta, SMC
Anamika Bhargava, PEP
Anna Chikhikvishvili, SMC
Arianna Colffer, PEP
Catherine Isip, SMC
Jennifer Heinser, USF
2010 All-WCC Second Team Singles
Alex Zaniewski, SCU
Ali Walters, PEP
Claire Soper, SMC
Lacey Pflibsen, POR
Laura Claus, USD
Megan Sporndli, POR
2010 All-WCC First Team Doubles
Alex Poorta/Claire Soper, SMC
Anamika Bhargava/Marie Zalameda, PEP
Lacey Pflibsen/Megan Sporndli, POR
2010 All-WCC Second Team Doubles
Anna Chikhikvishvili/Catherine Isip, SMC
Jennifer Heinser/Melinda Akerbrant, USF
Juliette Coupez/Maja Sujica, USD