Paige Yaroshuk-Tews Named ACC Coach of the Year
April 16, 2009
Greensboro, N.C. – University of Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews was named 2009 ACC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year, while four UM student-athletes collected All-ACC honors released Thursday by the conference office in Greensboro, N.C. This year’s Player of the Year award went to Ani Mijacika of Clemson, while Duke’s Mallory Cecil was tabbed Freshman of the Year.
The four All-ACC recipients for the Hurricanes are the most on this year’s list, followed by Georgia Tech and Duke with three apiece.
For the first time in her career, eighth-year head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews was honored as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Coach of the Year after leading UM to a regular season record of 21-3 (10-1 ACC)–the best regular season mark for Yaroshuk-Tews in Coral Gables. She is currently the all-time winningest women’s tennis coach at UM, holding 156 wins in her career. On the season, UM has collected nine shutout victories, including three-straight to close the regular season.
For Yaroshuk-Tews, the 10-1 ACC mark this year ties her personal-best record from the 2005 campaign–Miami’s inaugural season in the league. Against UNC earlier this season, Yaroshuk-Tews collected her 150th career victory.
Miami, riding a 10-match winning streak into the ACC Championships beginning today in Cary, N.C., dominated the 18-member All-ACC team with four student-athletes selected to the list. UM finished the conference season tied with Duke atop the final standings. The Hurricanes collected the No. 1 seed for this year’s championships by virtue of a 5-2 head-to-head victory over the Blue Devils on Mar. 22 in Coral Gables.
The honorees for UM on this year’s All-ACC Team include sophomore Julia Cohen (Philadelphia, Pa.), currently ranked No. 4 in the Campbell’s/ITA singles poll, who sits with a record of 27-4 overall. Cohen finished the regular season with a perfect ACC record of 11-0. She is the only player in the league to finish the season 11-0 at the No. 1 singles position. One of her biggest wins of the season came against ACC Player of the Year, Ani Mijacika. Cohen downed then top-ranked Mijacika in straight sets (6-4, 6-1) as part of her current 15-match winning streak. Cohen has not dropped a match since Feb. 15 against then fifth-ranked Stanford.
Cohen is also ranked twice in the Campbell’s/ITA doubles poll, sitting as high as No. 26 in the latest poll with Laura Vallverdu. With current partner Bianca Eichkorn, the duo has pulled together a 10-match winning streak at the second flight position. They are 9-1 in the ACC together, and 10-1 overall on the campaign.
Returning to the All-ACC Team for the third consecutive year, and the only Hurricane to do so, is two-time All-America performer Laura Vallverdu (Valencia, Venezuela). Vallverdu finished the regular season with a record of 22-7 after spending most of the fall season sidelined with an injury. Vallverdu bounced back to register a spring record of 20-4, while going 9-2 in the conference and winning her last six matches. She is currently ranked No. 25 in the national singles poll, while being as high as No. 22 on the season. Three of her last six wins have come against nationally-ranked opponents, including a 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 victory over Duke’s 23rd-ranked Ellah Nze (also present on this year’s All-ACC Team).
In doubles play, Vallverdu has teamed with three different partners for a record of 23-8 (9-2 ACC) on the season. Alongside current partner Michaela Kissell, she has helped to gather six-straight victories at the top doubles position for the `Canes as the tandem ranks 13th nationally. Together, they hold a record of 13-5 on the season, and a 10-5 record for the spring, while holding a 7-4 mark against nationally ranked competitors.
Also joining this year’s All-Conference list is sophomore Bianca Eichkorn (Tengen, Germany), who is having one of the best seasons in school history. Eichkorn, currently ranked No. 30 in the singles poll, holds a team-leading 35-6 record for the year, and has peeled off 10 consecutive wins for the `Canes. Eichkorn’s 35 wins this season has allowed her to sit in a tie for fifth place all-time at UM for single-season victories–now matching the win total produced by Lise Gregory during the 1984-85 season. She is 9-1 against ACC opponents, and sits at 20-3 in the spring. Over the course of the dual schedule, she has split time at the No. 3 and No. 4 position, respectively.
In doubles play, Eichkorn has teamed with Cohen for their current 10-match winning streak. She also spent time with Michaela Kissell, as the two are ranked No. 53 together in the doubles poll. Eichkorn holds a record of 27-11 on the year in doubles play, as well as a 10-1 mark in the ACC (18-2 at No. 2 doubles).
The fourth UM student-athlete on this year’s All-ACC team is sophomore Michaela Kissell (Hostetter, Pa.). Kissell is the second 30-win Hurricane on this year’s roster, holding a record of 32-7 for the year, including a 22-2 mark in the spring. In the league, Kissell is 10-1, while currently ranked No. 50 nationally. Alongside Eichkorn, she has split time at the third and fourth singles slot, boasting a perfect 8-0 mark at the No. 3 position. Kissell is currently enjoying a 10-match winning streak, and has posted 25 wins against just two losses since Nov. 1.
Kissell has teamed with Laura Vallverdu and Bianca Eichkorn in doubles play, holding a 28-12 overall mark. Kissell has spent the majority of her spring season with Vallverdu, collecting a six-match winning streak heading into the ACC Championships.
The ACC Championships are slated for Apr. 16-19 in Cary, N.C. For more information, please log on to www.TheACC.com. They can be seen live via ACC Select at www.ACCselect.com.
2009 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Tennis Team
Josipa Bek, Freshman, Clemson
Ani Mijacika, Junior, Clemson*
Mallory Cecil, Freshman, Duke
Ella Nze, Sophomore, Duke*
Reka Zsilinszka, Sophomore, Duke*
Katie Rybakova, Sophomore, Florida State*
Noemie Scharle, Freshman, Florida State
Irina Falconi, Freshman, Georgia Tech
Noelle Hickey, Sophomore, Georgia Tech
Amanda McDowell, Junior, Georgia Tech*
Julia Cohen, Sophomore, Miami
Bianca Eichkorn, Sophomore, Miami
Michaela Kissell, Sophomore, Miami
Laura Vallverdu, Junior, Miami*
Sanaz Marand, Junior, North Carolina*
Katrina Tsang, Junior, North Carolina*
Emily Fraser, Freshman, Virginia
Sasha Kulikova, Junior, Wake Forest*
Player of the Year: Ani Mijacika, Clemson
Freshman of the Year: Mallory Cecil, Duke
Coach of the Year: Paige Yaroshuk-Tews, Miami
*Denotes repeat All-ACC honoree
