Colorado Springs, Colo.—After a magical run to a 15-1 season and conference championship, the San José State women's tennis team received numerous Mountain West Conference honors Friday including Irena Muradyan as the 2021 MW Co-Freshman of the Year and Chad Skorupka as the 2021 MW Coach of the Year Honors.
Muradyan, from Yerevan, Armenia, finished the regular season with a 13-1 mark at #3 singles and won 12 of her first 13 matches of the season (one unfinished against Nevada). Her first eight singles wins and 11 overall were in straight sets.
"This is a huge honor for Irena," said Skorupka. "I am so happy for her as a player and the opportunity to get her here and be a part of this team. I am super excited for her as she continues to compete for San José State."
Skorupka wins his second MW Coach of the Year recognition after receiving the award in 2017. He is the only women's tennis coach to be named a conference coach of the year in the program's history. He took over in July of 2015 and his teams have amassed a 65-43 record in six years and two MW championships. The Spartans won 14 straight contests to start the season, recorded the fourth-highest number of wins in school history (15), the best winning percentage for a season (.938) and the highest number of conference wins since SJSU joined the MW in 2013-14.
"This award is for the San José State team and what they do on the courts is most important. Having an 8-0 record in matches we won 4-3 shows how this team stepped up and hard work paid off for us. I am so proud of them," said Skorupka.
Alba Pedrero Galindo and Muradyan were named All-MW in singles. Galindo, a junior from Murcia, Spain, receives All-MW honors for the second consecutive season. She finished the season with an 11-4 record at #1 singles including an 8-1 record in MW action. She recorded a point in the team's win over San Diego State that clinched the MW title.
"For Alba to go 8-1 in conference play is an amazing accomplishment and shows how much she has improved from her freshman year. She was a leader at #1, and I am super excited for her," said Skorupka.
Savannah Sendar and Lara Marco Mas were named All-MW in doubles. This is the second honor for Sendar, a senior from Horn, The Netherlands, as she received All-MW doubles honors in 2018 as she partnered with Sybille Gauvain, while Marco Mas, a sophomore from Vila-Real, Spain, receives her first all-conference honor. Sendar and Marco Mas had a 3-2 record at the #1 doubles spot this season.
"I am super happy for Savannah to receive this honor again after winning it her freshman year, and happy for Lara to be recognized with Savanna," said Skorupka. "They led us at #1 doubles, and this shows the respect that the team has in the conference."
The 2021 Mountain West Champions await word from the NCAA this Monday, May 3, as to where they play in the NCAA Championships. The announcement will be made at 3 p.m. PT, on www.ncaa.com.
2021 Mountain West Women's Tennis Award Winners
SINGLES
Dalia Ahmed, Fresno State
Alba Pedrero Galindo, San Jose State
Izumi Asano, UNLV
Maria Oreshkina, Wyoming
Joana Baptista, Boise State
Yue Lin "Polly" Chen, New Mexico
En-Pei Huang, UNLV
Carolina Millan, Utah State
Irena Muradyan, San Jose State
Meredith Jones, Air Force
Sophie Zehender, Wyoming
Priscilla Palermo, Colorado State
Tamara Arnold, San Diego State
Sydney Fitch, Air Force
Nnena Nadozie, San Diego State
Pauline Ernstberger, Boise State
Zara Ryan, Utah State
DOUBLES
Izumi Asano/En-Pei Huang, UNLV
Dalia Ahmed/Deniza Marcinkevica, Fresno State
Nnena Nadozie/Alicia Melosch, San Diego State
Savannah Sendar/Lara Marco Mas, San Jose State
Joana Baptista/Shauna Heffernan, Boise State
Natasha Munday/Hsuan Huang, New Mexico
Ana Fernandez/Sophie Zehender, Wyoming
Chunxi Guo/Priscilla Palermo, Colorado State
Player of the Year: Dalia Ahmed, Fresno State
Co-Freshman of the Year: Irena Muradyan, San José State and Zita Kovacs, UNLV
Coach of the Year: Chad Skorupka, San José State
# # #
