SUNYAC Releases 2016 Women's Tennis Awards
CORTLAND, N.Y.- The SUNYAC announces the 2016 women's tennis award as voted on by the conference coaches. This year, Coach of the Year, Doubles Team of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Peter J. Cahill Most Valuable Player, and All-Conference team honors were bestowed.
Coach of the Year: Annmarie Curle (Plattsburgh)- In her third season as the head women's tennis coach at Plattsburgh, coach Curle receives her first SUNYAC Coach of the Year honors. This season, the Cardinals bettered their record by three wins (10-6) over last year and reached the second round of the SUNYAC Championship Tournament. Curle will look to capitalize on this momentum going into the 2017 season.
Doubles Team of the Year: Anika Pornpitaksuk and Lauren Salzano (Geneseo)- The Geneseo first doubles team of juniors Pornpitaksuk (Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis) and Salzano (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills West) were awarded the SUNYAC Doubles Team of the Year after finishing the season 7-4 overall. The pair were also honored on the All-Conference team and the All-Tournament team. The team went 3-0 and had a key match-up against New Paltz in the SUNYAC Championship that helped propel Geneseo to its sixth straight title.
Rookie of the Year and Peter J. Cahill MVP: Sarah Mensah (Brockport)- Mensah (Berlin, Germany/Potsdam), a junior from Germany was voted the Rookie of the Year and the MVP after a strong year representing the Golden Eagles. Throughout the 2016 regular season play, Mensah posted an overall record of 11-0 in regular singles matches and then a 5-1 record in the ITA Northeast Regional Championship where she placed second. She continued her effort in the SUNYAC Championship, winning in straight sets in both the first round (6-0,6-0) and the consolation round (6-1, 6-1). Mensah was the number one singles player for Brockport, facing top competition throughout the SUNYAC season and remaining undefeated.
Peter J. Cahill taught and coached at Cortland for 30 years until his retirement in 2002. He passed away on Nov. 17, 2006. In 1998, he became the women's tennis coach at Cortland and promptly won five of next seven SUNYAC Championships while posting an impressive 59-29 record. Cahill was selected SUNYAC Women's Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2005.
2016 SUNYAC Women's Tennis All-Conference Teams (PDF)
First Team
| Name, School | Yr. | Hometown/High School | |
| Sarah Mensah, Brockport | Jr. | Singles | Berlin, Germany/Potsdam |
| Vanessa Lam-Tran, Geneseo | So. | Singles | Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill |
| Anika Pompitaksuk, Geneseo | Jr. | Singles | Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis |
| Sienna Susko, Geneseo | Jr. | Singles | Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville Manlius |
| Olivia Ammariti, New Paltz | Sr. | Singles | Huntington, N.Y. /Huntington |
| Brittany Grandville, New Paltz | Jr. | Singles | Tappan, N.Y. /Tappan Zee |
| Anika Pornpitaksuk, Geneseo | Jr. | Doubles | Queens, N.Y./Francis Lewis |
| Lauren Salzano, Geneseo | Jr. | Doubles | Dix Hills, N.Y. /Half Hollow Hills West |
| Olivia Ammariti, New Paltz & | Sr. | Doubles | Huntington, N.Y. /Huntington |
| Emi Lewis, New Paltz | Jr. | Doubles | New York City, N.Y. /NYC Lab School |
| Brittany Grandville, New Paltz & | Jr. | Doubles | Tappan, N.Y. / Tappan Zee |
| Carol Tyson, New Paltz | Jr. | Doubles | Clinton Corners, N.Y./Rhinebeck |
| Kaitlyn Healy, Plattsburgh & | Sr. | Doubles | Clifton Park, N.Y. /Shenendehowa |
| Kelci Henn, Plattsburgh | So. | Doubles | Mastic Beach, N.Y. /William Floyd |
Second Team
| Name, School | Yr. | Hometown/High School | |
| Nikaylah Williams, Cortland | So. | Singles | Wheatley Heights, N.Y. /Half Hollow Hills West |
| Chloe Cohen, Fredonia | Sr. | Singles | West Hempstead, N.Y. /West Hempstead |
| Nina Lurie, Geneseo | So. | Singles | Scarsdale, N.Y. /Scarsdale |
| Lauren Salzano, Geneseo | Jr. | Singles | Dix Hills, N.Y. /Half Hollow Hills West |
| Carol Tyson, New Paltz | Jr. | Singles | Clinton Corners, NY /Rhinebeck |
| Sarah Drexinger, Plattsburgh | Sr. | Singles | Burnt Hills, N.Y. /Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake |
| Kelci Henn, Plattsburgh | So. | Singles | Mastic Beach, N.Y. /William Floyd |
| Sarah Mensah, Brockport | Jr. | Doubles | Berlin, Germany/Potsdam |
| Kelsey Shanahan, Brockport | So. | Doubles | Camillus, N.Y./ West Genesee |
| Vanessa Lam-Tran, Geneseo | So. | Doubles | Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Spackenkill |
| Sienna Susko, Geneseo | Jr. | Doubles | Fayetteville, N.Y./Fayetteville Manlius |
