Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Tennis Earns Three ITA Central Region Honors
May 15, 2017 | Cowgirl Tennis
STILLWATER – Three members of the Oklahoma State women's tennis team were honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association on Monday evening, as the organization released its annual regional awards. OSU was the only team in the ITA's Central Region to have three team members honored.
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Viktoriya Lushkova was recognized as the ITA Central Region Senior Player of the Year, while freshman Aliona Bolsova earned the title of ITA Central Region Rookie of the Year. The ITA also named second-year assistant coach Matt Manasse the Assistant Coach of the Year for the region. National award winners will be released on Tuesday, May 23rd.
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Lushkova's recognition follows up an outstanding weekend for the Cowgirl senior that saw her pick up a pair of singles wins and a doubles win as well, including the clinching match that would send OSU to its third-straight NCAA round of 16 appearance. Monday's recognition makes Lushkova the second player in program history to earn the award, and the first since Maria Phillips in 2001.
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With a 23-10 record so far this season, Lushkova picked up her 95th and 96th career singles wins last weekend to surpass Linda Faltynkova in the program record book for most wins in the Big 12 era. The Ukrainian product also recently clinched her third career All-America honor, making her the first player in program history to become a singles All-American three times.
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Bolsova becomes the fifth freshman in school history to be dubbed the ITA Central Region Rookie of the Year, following up Lushkova (2014), Meghan Blevins (2012), Iryna Tchenko (2005) and Katia Kolodynska (2001).
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The newcomer has posted a monstrous freshman season thus far, racking up 29 wins to tie Maria Alvarez's 2015 campaign as the third-winningest season by a Cowgirl in the Big 12 era. Bolsova has also posted 29 wins in doubles to earn the eighth-highest mark in the Big 12 era in that category.
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Manasse is in the middle of his second season in his current role at Oklahoma State. Coming from Wisconsin, the Purdue alumnus brought with him sweeping success, playing an instrumental role in helping guide the Cowgirls to the national championship match last season and another impressive season so far in 2017 as well.
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The Cowgirls open play at the NCAA Championships this Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Athens, Ga. Ninth-seeded OSU will take on No. 8 Georgia Tech for a trip to the program's second-straight Elite Eight.
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Viktoriya Lushkova was recognized as the ITA Central Region Senior Player of the Year, while freshman Aliona Bolsova earned the title of ITA Central Region Rookie of the Year. The ITA also named second-year assistant coach Matt Manasse the Assistant Coach of the Year for the region. National award winners will be released on Tuesday, May 23rd.
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Lushkova's recognition follows up an outstanding weekend for the Cowgirl senior that saw her pick up a pair of singles wins and a doubles win as well, including the clinching match that would send OSU to its third-straight NCAA round of 16 appearance. Monday's recognition makes Lushkova the second player in program history to earn the award, and the first since Maria Phillips in 2001.
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With a 23-10 record so far this season, Lushkova picked up her 95th and 96th career singles wins last weekend to surpass Linda Faltynkova in the program record book for most wins in the Big 12 era. The Ukrainian product also recently clinched her third career All-America honor, making her the first player in program history to become a singles All-American three times.
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Bolsova becomes the fifth freshman in school history to be dubbed the ITA Central Region Rookie of the Year, following up Lushkova (2014), Meghan Blevins (2012), Iryna Tchenko (2005) and Katia Kolodynska (2001).
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The newcomer has posted a monstrous freshman season thus far, racking up 29 wins to tie Maria Alvarez's 2015 campaign as the third-winningest season by a Cowgirl in the Big 12 era. Bolsova has also posted 29 wins in doubles to earn the eighth-highest mark in the Big 12 era in that category.
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Manasse is in the middle of his second season in his current role at Oklahoma State. Coming from Wisconsin, the Purdue alumnus brought with him sweeping success, playing an instrumental role in helping guide the Cowgirls to the national championship match last season and another impressive season so far in 2017 as well.
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The Cowgirls open play at the NCAA Championships this Friday at 7 p.m. ET in Athens, Ga. Ninth-seeded OSU will take on No. 8 Georgia Tech for a trip to the program's second-straight Elite Eight.
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Players Mentioned
Friday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
