Lohan, Perez-Somarriba Garner ITA Regional Honors
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Two members of the University of Miami women’s tennis team earned ITA Southeast Region accolades, as announced Monday.
Senior Sinead Lohan earned the Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship & Leadership Award, while sophomore Estela Perez-Somarriba received the region’s Player to Watch distinction. This is the first ITA honor for both Hurricanes.
“Siny and Estela have been performing at an exceptional level for this program for a very long time,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I am so proud of who they are as people and the expectation of success that they bring to our program.”
Lohan is the second player to win the regional Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship under Yaroshuk-Tews’ direction. The two-time ITA All-American and 2016 NCAA Singles Championship semifinalist joins Audrey Bañada, who did so in the South Region in 2006.
The fourth-winningest singles player in program history with a staggering 130-35 record, Lohan went 29-8 in her final collegiate campaign. She has two of the seven highest single-season win totals by a Hurricane, finishing 40-6 in 2015-16 and 38-8 in 2014-15, and is one of three four-time All-ACC honorees to don the orange and green.
A native of Waterford, Ireland, Lohan is a four-year member of Miami’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and helped the Hurricanes finish with the third-most community service hours of any Division I women’s tennis team in 2017-18. The two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree graduated with a degree in economics.
Perez-Somarriba is the fifth Hurricane in Yaroshuk-Tews’ 17 years at the helm to earn regional Player to Watch recognition, including the third since Miami shifted to the Southeast Region in 2010. She joins Stephanie Wagner (2015), Bianca Eichkorn (2010), Julia Cohen (2009) and current associate head coach Laura Vallverdu (2007) on the prestigious list.
The ACC Player of the Year honoree, Perez-Somarriba sports a remarkable 37-7 singles record in 2017-18, including a 26-2 mark in spring action. She went 23-2 in dual matches, competing at the No. 1 position in each outing.
A native of Madrid, Perez-Somarriba is ranked a career-best third in the country and is seeded third in the upcoming NCAA Singles Championship.
The Player to Watch honor goes to an individual with remaining eligibility who has been ranked at least regionally, but has not won an ITA regional or national title. The Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship & Leadership Award is given to a junior or senior based off their athletic achievements, academic resume and their sportsmanship, leadership and character.
To keep up with the University of Miami women’s tennis team on social media, follow @CanesWTennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
