SPRINGFIELD, MO. – The Missouri Valley Conference announced its 2018 women's tennis all-conference teams Thursday night at a banquet in Springfield, Missouri at the MVC Team Tennis Championship, hosted by Missouri State.
Drake claimed the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title with a perfect 5-0 league record, and will enter the championship as the No. 1 seed this season.
The All-Conference team is comprised of one individual from each of the six singles positions, as well as three doubles teams from each of the doubles positions. In addition, nine individuals are chosen regardless of position played and are named to the "All-Select" Team. Individuals named all-conference in doubles are also eligible to be named to the all-select team in singles. The All-Conference and All-Select teams are chosen by a vote of league coaches.
The All-Conference team is made up of individuals from Drake, Missouri State, and Illinois State. The Drake Bulldogs claimed three singles spots on the all-conference team as well as two doubles pairings. Missouri State recieved two singles spots and a doubles team. Illinois State added a singles player to the team.
The “All-Select” team had one player from all six Valley teams and two from affiliate Stony Brook.
The 2018 Player of the Year - Veronika Golanova from Illinois State - Golanova won 20 matches in the No. 1 singles position and went 5-0 in conference play. The redshirt junior was named singles player of the week three time this year.
The Freshman of the Year is Drake’s Liza Petushkova. The freshman won 19 singles matches while playing at No. 2 and No. 3 singles this season. She finished the season in the No. 2 singles spot with a record of 5-0 in conference play.
Drake’s Mai-Ly Tran earned the 2018 MVC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year honor. Coach Tran led the Bulldogs to a record of 15-5 overall and 5-0 in conference play.
| 2018 All-Conference First Team |
| No. 1 Singles |
Veronika Golanova |
Illinois State |
R-Jr. |
| No. 2 Singles |
Liza Petushkova |
Drake |
Fr. |
| No. 3 Singles |
Tess Herder |
Drake |
Sr. |
| No. 4 Singles |
Fati Khamissi |
Missouri State |
Jr. |
| No. 5 Singles |
Ellie Burger |
Missouri State |
Fr. |
| No. 6 Singles |
Mela Jaglarz |
Drake |
Sr. |
| No. 1 Doubles |
Tess Herder/ Liza Petushkova |
Drake |
Sr./Fr. |
| No. 2 Doubles |
Summer Brills/ Megan Webb |
Drake |
Sr./Fr. |
| No. 3 Doubles |
Fati Khamissi/ Alexia Meyer |
Missouri State |
Jr./So. |
| 2018 “All-Select” Team |
| Summer Brills |
Drake |
Sr. |
| Jelena Vujanic |
Valparaiso |
Fr. |
| Jelena Karla Vujicic |
Illinois State |
So. |
| Alye Darter |
Missouri State |
So. |
| Sandra Maletin |
Bradley |
Fr. |
| Gisela Kemper |
Northern Iowa |
Sr. |
| Elizabeth Tsvetkov |
Stony Brook |
Sr. |
| Ester Chikvashvili |
Stony Brook |
Jr. |
Player of the Year: Veronika Golanova, Illinois State
Freshman of the Year: Liza Petushkova, Drake
Coach of the Year: Mai-Ly Tran, Drake