St. Paul, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced the 2012 MIAC Women’s Tennis Awards Tuesday, and with that, four Gustavus women’s tennis players were named to both the singles and doubles All-Conference teams. Seniors Alex Erickson (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Megan Gaard (Edina, Minn.), sophomore Megan Born (Antigo, Wis.), and first-year Laurel Krebsbach (North Oaks, Minn.) were selected by a vote of the league’s coaches as Gustavus’ representatives on the 2012 All-MIAC singles and doubles teams.
Alex Erickson makes her second showing on the both the All-Conference singles and doubles teams. After serving as Head Coach Jon Carlson’s No. 4 singles player on last season’ MIAC Championship team, Erickson made the transition into the No. 1 spot for the 2012 season. With a record of 20-10 overall and 8-1 in the MIAC, Erickson reached the 20-win plateau for the third time in her career at Gustavus. In doubles play, Erickson finished the season with an overall mark of 20-14 and an MIAC record of 9-1. Alongside Megan Born at No. 2 doubles, the pair turned in a record of 15-8 this season. Alex Erickson finishes her collegiate career with an overall record of 63-23 in singles and 53-25 in doubles.
For the fourth and final time of her career, senior Megan Gaard earns a spot on both the singles and doubles All-MIAC squads. After going 7-11 through the fall and the opening portion of the spring, Gaard turned it on during conference play over the final month of the season. The senior capped the year on a 10-match winning-streak, finishing 17-11 overall and 7-1 in the MIAC in singles. Playing with Laurel Krebsbach at No. 1 singles for the majority of the year, the duo went 19-10 overall and 8-2 in the MIAC. Gaard ended up with an overall mark of 22-12 in doubles play this season. The Edina, Minn. native concludes her tenure on the hill with at 77-44 overall in singles and 103-38 in doubles.
Making her debut appearance on the All-Conference teams is Megan Born. Locking down the No. 4 position, Born went a perfect 10-0 within league play during her first full-time season in Jon Carlson’s staring lineup. Alongside Alex Erickson at No. 2 doubles, the pair went 9-1 against league opponents. Overall this season, Born went 20-7 in singles and 19-11 in doubles.
Also earning a place on the All-MIAC singles and doubles teams for the first time in her career is first-year Laurel Krebsbach. Krebsbach is the first Gustavus player to garner All-Conference honors in her rookie season since Megan Gaard did so in 2009. Stepping into the starting lineup at the third spot, Krebsbach went 18-14 overall and 7-2 in the MIAC in singles play this season. In doubles, the Mounds View product went 20-11 overall and 8-2 in the MIAC.
As part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative, the MIAC also announced the sixth annual All-MIAC Sportsmanship team for women’s tennis. Members of the All-MIAC Sportsmanship team are selected by their coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field of competition.
Representing Gustavus on this season’s All-Sportsmanship Team is senior Mary Roop (La Crosse, Wis.). In singles, Roop went 11-6 overall and 5-0 in the MIAC, while in doubles she went 16-8 overall and 8-1 in the MIAC.
The 2012 Chris Evert Award was given to Concordia senior Andrea Rognlien (Fargo, N.D./Oak Grove). The award annually recognizes a senior tennis student-athlete with outstanding sportsmanship and exemplary athletic, academic and humanitarian accomplishments.
Carleton’s Luciano Battaglini and St. Catherine’s Ben Hageseth were named the 2012 MIAC Women’s Co-Coaches-of-the-Year. This is the first MIAC Coach-of-the-Year honor for both recipients. Battaglini is in his fifth season leading the Knights, while Hageseth is in his fourth as the Wildcats’ head coach.
The Gustavus women’s tennis team finished the season 17-9 overall and 9-1 in the MIAC. The Gusties saw their conference winning-streak come to an end at 214 consecutive matches with a 5-4 loss to Carleton in the season finale on Sunday, April 29. Gustavus had won 20-straight MIAC titles and had not lost a conference match since 1991. Gustavus later fell in a hard-fought battle in the MIAC Playoff Championship to Carleton 5-3 on Saturday, May 5.