Women's Tennis 4/27/2018 2:31:00 PM

Miller named Rookie of the Year; Nittany Lions place nine on All-NEAC teams

CLARKS SUMMIT, PA - Following the excitement of winning the team championship, the Penn State Berks women's tennis team had plenty to celebrate during the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Individual Tournament on Friday afternoon at the Birchwood Tennis Club. The Nittany Lions had all of their members earn All-NEAC First or Second Team honors, as well as the NEAC Rookie of the Year (Alyssa Miller) and NEAC Coach of the Year (Scott Yarnell). Tournament Results

Miller is just the second member of the women's tennis team to earn the conference rookie honor, joining Kianna Anderson who received the award during the 2015-16 season. Yarnell garners the NEAC Coach of the Year award, as voted on by his peers, for the eighth time as the women's tennis coach and first time since the 2014-15 season.

The No. 3 doubles team of Lucrezia Pulcini and Deismy Jimenez picked up a pair of wins to earn All-NEAC First Team honors. Caroline Bashore and Laura Youwakim (No. 1 doubles) and Miller and Violet Tran (No. 2 doubles) both won in the semifinals before falling in the championship round to receive All-NEAC Second Team recognition.

In the singles tournaments, Tran won the No. 4 tournament and Pulcini was the champion of the No. 5 singles to earn both a spot on the All-NEAC First Team. Miller fell in the No. 1 singles title match to reigning champion Greta Strunk of Lancaster Bible College, which placed Miller on the second team. Bashore dropped her No. 2 singles bout in the championship to earn second team honors. Youwakim (No. 3) and Tessa Caltagirone (No. 6) each finished with All-NEAC Second Team recognition after winning in the semi's and falling in their respective title match.

This was the first time since the 2015-16 season the Nittany Lions had nine all-conference recipients and the first time ever that all were selected to only the first and second teams.

Berks, making its first trip to the NCAA Tournament, will find out where they are going and who they are playing during the selection show on Monday, May 7.

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Players Mentioned

Caroline Bashore: 5' 2"; Junior

Tessa Caltagirone: 5' 3"; Junior

Lucrezia Pulcini: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Laura Youwakim: 5' 4"; Junior

Deismy Jimenez: 5' 4"; Freshman

Violet Tran: 5' 3"; Senior

Alyssa Miller: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Caroline Bashore
: 5' 2"; Junior

Tessa Caltagirone
: 5' 3"; Junior

Lucrezia Pulcini
: 5' 2"; Sophomore

Laura Youwakim
: 5' 4"; Junior

Deismy Jimenez
: 5' 4"; Freshman

Violet Tran
: 5' 3"; Senior

Alyssa Miller
: 5' 2"; Sophomore