Noel Claims ACC Player of the Year
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Three Hurricanes of the University of Miami women’s tennis team garnered All-ACC accolades, as announced Friday morning.
Alexa Noel highlighted the end-of-year conference awards by earning ACC Player of the Year and claiming first-team status in singles. Isabella Pfennig found a spot on both lists, being named to second-team singles and third-team doubles with partner Xinyi Nong.
Miami has now totaled 49 All-ACC accolades in the 19 years – excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season – it has been in the league. Nong is the 22nd different Hurricane to make the cut, Noel is the seventh ACC Player of the Year in Miami history and Pfennig is the fifth Hurricane to win at least four distinctions.
Since the conference went to a multiple team format in 2014, at least one Hurricane has earned first-team recognition every year and at least two players have been listed overall.
Noel won the 2024 NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles Championship following a 27-8 season that resulted in her ranking of No. 3 in the nation by the ITA. The Summit, New Jersey, native, who entered the tournament as the No. 8 seed, is the 10th ACC student-athlete to capture the women’s singles NCAA title, the first since 2019, and the third player from Miami to win.
She was named an ITA All-American for the third time in her career, as well as a 2024 Honda Sport Award finalist. The redshirt junior finished with an 8-4 record in conference play with a 21-6 overall record over nationally ranked top-50 opponents.
Pfennig notched a 21-13 overall record, going 12-7 in dual matches and 8-4 in the ACC at the No. 2 spot. On top of earning 10 ranked wins through the year, Pfennig qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships and advanced to the round of 32. She ended the year ranked No. 51 and was named a CSC Third Team Academic All-American.
In doubles, Pfennig and Nong paired up to go 17-10 overall and 9-7 at the No. 1 court, with three ranked wins under them. The duo qualified for the NCAA Doubles Championships to finish out their season and notched a final ranking of No. 28.
