FREDERICKSBURG, Va. -- Matching the most All-Conference honors in program history, six Christopher Newport women's tennis players earned all-CAC honors on Monday, announced by the league after a vote by the head coaches. Juniors
Johanna Ranta-aho (Helsinki, Finland) and
Olivia Reed (Williamsburg, Va.) led the way honored in both singles and doubles this year.
The Capital Athletic Conference announced Ranta-aho as a first team All-Conference pick in singles while Reed,
Kara Ferner (Wilmington, N.C.), and
Reagan Delp (Roanoke, Va.) each collected second team All-CAC honors in singles. In doubles, Ranta-aho and Reed were a first team All-Conference pick while
Colette Gilbert (Sprink Lake, N.J.) and
Amanda Yermal (Virginia Beach, Va.) secured second team honors.
Ranta-aho is a three-time first team All-Conference selection and earned Conference Player of the Year plaudits in 2018. She qualified for her second straight trip to the NCAA Division III Singles National Championships and started the year ranked No. 20 in the nation. The third-year star finished 18-7 with a 14-6 record at No. 1 singles for the Captains, while improving to 57-18 for her career.
In her first season with the Captains, Reed was 8-6 in singles play while playing at both No. 2 and 3 in duals. She was 3-1 in conference play and finished the year on a three-match win streak. Also honored in singles play, sophomore
Kara Ferner ranked second on the team in wins with 15 while playing primarily at No. 2 singles. She was 15-5 overall with an 8-3 record on the No. 2 line and earned a regional ranking during her successful spring season. Rounding out the singles honorees, rookie
Reagan Delp picked up her first career All-Conference honor after going 12-7 overall, powered by a strong finish to the season. She was 9-1 in her last ten matches and was leading an unfinished bout in the conference semifinals.
In doubles play, Ranta-aho and Reed paired together on the top line for 18 of the Captains' 21 matches this season, going 12-6 as a tandem. The junior duo was 13-7 overall and 5-1 in conference play. It is the first time in Ranta-aho's career that she earned first team All-CAC honors in doubles and she is a three-time selection with two previous picks on the second team. Reed, a junior transfer, picks up her first career selection in both singles and doubles.
Second team All-CAC doubles pairing
Colette Gilbert and
Amanda Yermal finished the year with an 11-4 record, all in dual play at No. 2. The Captains' veteran pairing won four of their last five matches, including a shutout over Salisbury's No. 2 tandem to help clinch the second seed in the conference tournament.
The six overall selections matches the 2015 season when Christopher Newport also had six picks to the All-CAC teams. It marks the fifth season in a row that two of CNU's three starting doubles groups were honored as All-Conference and the seventh time in the last nine years that at least four Captains have earned All-League honors in singles play.
The Captains finished the year with a 13-8 overall record and a fifth straight appearance in the CAC Championship Match. Ranta-aho will begin competition at the NCAA Championships on May 24.
2019 Capital Athletic Conference Women's Tennis All-Conference Awards
2019 CAC Player of the Year: Rachel Summers - Mary Washington
2019 CAC Rookie of the Year: Lauren Quinn - Mary Washington
2019 CAC Coach of the Year: Art Canizares - Mary Washington
First Team Singles
| NAME |
YR. |
POS. |
TEAM |
HOMETOWN/HS |
PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
| Claire Coleman |
Fr. |
2nd |
Mary Washington |
Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg |
|
| Annika Kezman |
Jr. |
1st |
Salisbury |
Virginia Beach, Va. / Bishop Sullivan Catholic |
1st in '18, 1st in '17 |
| Danielle Mirabella |
Sr. |
4th |
Mary Washington |
Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh |
2nd in '18, 2nd in '17 |
| Lauren Quinn |
Fr. |
3rd |
Mary Washington |
Charleston, S.C./Wando |
|
| Johanna Ranta-aho |
Jr. |
1st |
Christopher Newport |
Helsinki, Finland / Pohjois-Haagan yhteiskoulu |
1st & POY in '18, 1st & ROY in '17 |
| Rachel Summers |
Jr. |
1st |
Mary Washington |
Arlington, Va. / James River |
1st in '18, 1st in '17 |
Second Team Singles
| NAME |
YR. |
POS. |
TEAM |
HOMETOWN/HS |
PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
| Rachel Neeleman |
Fr. |
1st |
Southern Virginia |
Alpine, Utah/Lone Peak |
|
| Olivia Reed |
Jr. |
2nd |
Christopher Newport |
Williamsburg, Va./Homeschool |
|
| Kara Ferner |
So. |
3rd |
Christopher Newport |
Wilmington, N.C./John T. Hoggard |
|
| Reagan Delp |
Fr. |
4th |
Christopher Newport |
Roanoka, Va./Cave Springs |
|
| Sophie Dixon |
So. |
5th |
Mary Washington |
Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm |
|
| Rachel Cooper |
Jr. |
6th |
Mary Washington |
Orlando, Fla., James River |
2nd & ROY in '18 |
First Team Doubles
| NAME |
YR. |
POS. |
TEAM |
HOMETOWN/HS |
PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
| Rachel Summers |
Jr. |
1st |
Mary Washington |
Orlando, Fl./James River |
1st in '18 |
| Lauren Quinn |
Fr. |
1st |
Charleston, S.C./Wando |
|
| Johanna Ranta-aho |
Jr. |
1st |
Christopher Newport |
Helsinki, Finland / Pohjois-Haagan yhteiskoulu |
2nd in '18, 2nd in '17 |
| Olivia Reed |
Jr. |
1st |
Williamsburg, Va./Homeschool |
|
| Danielle Mirabella |
Sr. |
2nd |
Mary Washington |
Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh |
2nd in '18, 2nd in '17 |
| Claire Coleman |
Fr. |
2nd |
Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg |
|
Second Team Doubles
| NAME |
YR. |
POS. |
TEAM |
HOMETOWN/HS |
PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
| Annika Kezman |
Jr. |
1st |
Salisbury |
Virginia Beach, Va. / Bishop Sullivan Catholic |
1st in '18 |
| Laura Brown |
So. |
1st |
Magnolia, Del./Mizzou Online |
|
| Colette Gilbert |
Sr. |
2nd |
Christopher Newport |
Spring Lake, N.J./Red Bank Catholic |
|
| Amanda Yermal |
Fr. |
2nd |
Virginia Beach, Va./Floyd E. Kellam |
|
| Olivia Moore |
So. |
3rd |
Mary Washington |
Marietta, Ga./Lassiter |
|
| Sophie Dixon |
So. |
3rd |
Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm |
|
