Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
The Best in the Boot.
Louisiana Tech’s Olga Bienzobas was voted by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association as the 2024 Women’s Tennis Player of the Year, announced by the LSWA on Saturday.
Bienzobas, who was also one of six players to be named First Team All-Louisiana, put together one of the best seasons in program history on the courts. The senior compiled a 19-3 singles record from the No. 1 spot in the spring, the most by any CUSA player and tied for the second most in school history.
The First Team All-Conference USA selection put together a program record 17-match winning streak while winning 38 of her 50 completed sets. Her best win came early in the dual season when she defeated 56th-ranked Kinaa Graham of LSU, the second-highest ranked victory by a Bulldog ever.
The San Sebastian, Spain native also went a perfect 4-0 in CUSA action with victories over New Mexico State, UTEP, Jacksonville State, and Sam Houston. She also notched marquee wins over Rice and Houston and closed out the regular season with a three-set win at No. 68 Wichita State.
Bienzobas also went 11-11 in dual doubles while playing on courts one and two. She went a perfect 3-0 in CUSA play while also posting a season-best five-match winning streak at the No. 1 position.
She becomes the first Bulldog in school history to be named Louisiana Player of the Year as well as the first to become a two-time All-Louisiana honoree.
Alexia Romero, Tiffani Nash, and Zoie Epps were all named All-Louisiana Honorable Mention.
Romero, a Second Team All-CUSA selection in both singles and doubles, went 16-3 in dual singles while playing on courts four, five, and six. Her 16 wins ranked second on the squad and tied for the eighth most in a single season in program history.
The fifth-year senior finished her career with 54 dual singles wins, second most in program history. She posted a team-high five clinching points while also reeling off a season-high eight straight victories starting with a victory at LSU. She also clinched the win against WKU in the CUSA Championship quarterfinals and tallied the lone point for the Bulldogs in the semifinals against No. 27 FIU.
In doubles, she won a team-high 13 matches while playing on all three courts. She also went a perfect 3-0 against CUSA competition.
Nash, a Second Team All-CUSA honoree, registered a 15-5 dual singles record, the third most wins on the team. She had a five-match winning streak that started with a victory at Houston. The Bossier City native also went 2-0 against CUSA opponents with wins against New Mexico State and Jacksonville State and capped off the regular season with a straight sets win at No. 68 Wichita State.
In doubles, Nash played on all three courts while compiling eight victories including a season-high winning streak of three matches.
Epps was named Second Team All-CUSA in doubles and was a member of the CUSA All-Freshman Team after going 11-9 in her first season as a Bulldog. She had two separate three-match winning streaks while winning six of her last eight completed matches to finish the season.
The Norman, Oklahoma native went 3-1 in CUSA play, defeating New Mexico State, UTEP, and Sam Houston. She also provided the clinching point against UAB, winning in straight sets. In doubles, the freshman went 9-6 while finishing the year by winning four straight over ULM, Kansas State, No. 68 Wichita State, and WKU.
Player of the Year: Olga Bienzobas, Louisiana Tech
Newcomer of the Year: Arina Gamretkaia, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Amira Bergaoui, Xavier
Coach of the Year: Alan Green, Xavier
First Team
Anita Sahdiieva, LSU
Olga Bienzobas, Louisiana Tech
Aran Teixidó Garcia, LSU
Arina Gamretkaia, McNeese
Laurie Barendse, New Orleans
Mbali Langa, Xavier
Second Team
Lucy Carpenter, Loyola
Amira Bergaoui, Xavier
Olivia Scattini, LSUA
Kyra Akinnibi, Xavier
Anastasija Adeikyte, McNeese
Florentine Dekkers, LSU
Honorable Mention: McKenna Wheatley, Xavier; Zoie Epps, Louisiana Tech; Lahari Yelamanchili, Tulane; Alexia Romero, Louisiana Tech; Luci Ivanova, LSUA; Annemart Kleijn, LSUA; Tiffani Nash, Louisiana Tech; Chloe Henderson, Loyola; Micaela Ponce, Loyola; Maria Wang Martinez, McNeese.
