The South Atlantic Conference Announces Women's Tennis Annual Awards

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSac.com) – Queens' Carlotta Nassi was voted the 2016 South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Year, while Claudia De Andreis of Wingate was voted the League's Freshman of the Year.  In addition, Wingate mentor Michael Cabana was tabbed the Coach of the Year, the League announced today.

Nassi, a sophomore from Livorno, Italy, earns her second-straight South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year honor as she finished the season 12-1 overall and 10-1 in the South Atlantic Conference.  She is currently ranked No. 22 in the nation at the No. 1 flight.  In doubles play, Nassi is currently ranked No. 6 in the Southeast Region as her duo is currently 7-2.  Overall at the No. 1 doubles flight, she is 11-2.  Nassi is the seventh player in South Atlantic Conference history to earn back-to-back Player of the Year plaudits.

De Andreis, a No. 1 player from Milan, Italy, finished the season 12-5 overall and 8-3 in the South Atlantic Conference at the No. 1 flight.  She picked up a straight-set win over the No. 25 singles player in the country this season and at the No. 1.  In doubles play, her duo is 15-2 overall at the No. 2 flight and 10-1 in SAC action.

Cabana earns his sixth-straight South Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year honor after leading Wingate to its sixth-straight South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis Regular Season Championship.  The Bulldogs finished the season 15-5 overall and 11-0 in the South Atlantic Conference.  The streak of six-straight championship is the second-most in South Atlantic Conference history as former member Presbyterian College won the SAC title seven times from 1996-2002.  Wingate has won 48 straight SAC matches and 59 of its last 60 South Atlantic Conference matches.

Joining Nassi on the First Team singles squad were Elizabeth Williamson from Newberry, De Andreis of Wingate, Fanziska Funke and Kealee Heffner from Tusculum and Lincoln Memorial's Elena Vasilyeva.

The First-Team doubles honorees were Nassi and Melissa Laing from Queens, Amanda Carrillo and Vanessa Ortiz of Newberry and De Andreis and Maria Garcia from Wingate.

2016 South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis Yearly Honors

First Team Doubles
Carlotta Nassi/Melissa Laing, Queens
Amanda Carrillo/Vanessa Ortiz, Newberry
Claudia De Andreis/Maria Garcia, Wingate

Honorable Mention Doubles
Liz Renteria/Erisa Onchi, Catawba
Jennifer Mezei/Bailey Palmer, Coker
Marta Pinol/Roksolana Prudyvs, Lincoln Memorial

Coach of the Year
Michael Cabana, Wingate