DALLAS – Old Dominion’s Yulia Starodubtseva was named the 2021 Conference USA Women’s Tennis Player of the Year after leading the No. 30 Monarchs to their first the conference championship. The junior is currently ranked No. 54, the highest in the conference, and No. 79 in doubles along with Alesya Yakubovich. The Kakhovka, Ukraine product received All-Conference first team honors for the second straight season.
 
Also receiving superlative honors for Old Dominion are Tatsiana Sasnouskaya and Holly Hutchinson. Sasnouskaya was named the Freshman of the Year, while Hutchinson earned Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship. The senior’s 6-1, 6-4 victory over FIU’s Kamila Umarova at No. 1 singles sparked the Monarchs’ comeback in the C-USA title match. Both earned first team All-Conference honors with Hutchinson marking four straight seasons to earn first team accolades. Both have also enjoyed national rankings in singles this season with Sasnoukaya currently at No. 74 and Hutchinson at No. 106. They have also teamed up at doubles for the Monarchs and are currently ranked No. 81.
 
Lucie Devier of North Texas was named Newcomer of the Year. The junior posted 11 victories at No. 1 singles for the Mean Green this season, including a ranked win.
 
Old Dominion coach Dominic Manilla earned his second Coach of the Year award after leading the Monarchs to their first league conference championship in their second title match. After earning the top seed, Manilla’s program overcame a 2-0 deficit to defeat No. 45 Florida International, 4-2. The upcoming NCAA tournament appearance will be the third in program history.
 
Rounding out the superlative awards is the Outstanding Doubles Team of the Championship, Kamila Umarova and Andjela Skrobonja from FIU. The duo knocked off ODU's 60th-ranked doubles pair with a 6-1 victory and boasted an undefeated mark this season. The Panthers were undefeated coming into the championship and are currently ranked No. 39.
 
No. 40 Rice led C-USA with six all-conference selections, with nine schools being represented overall. All awards are voted on by the league’s 14 head coaches.
 
2021 Conference USA Women’s Tennis Superlative Awards
Player of the Year – Yulia Starodubtseva, Old Dominion
Freshman of the Year – Tatsiana Sasnouskaya, Old Dominion
Newcomer of the Year – Lucie Devier, North Texas
Coach of the Year – Dominic Manilla, Old Dominion
Singles Player of the Championship - Holly Hutchinson, Old Dominion
Doubles Team of the Championship - Kamila Umarova/Andjela Skrobonja, FIU