ST. LOUIS - The 2024 MVC All-Conference tennis team is comprised of a First and Second Team from each of the six singles’ positions and one doubles team from each of the three positions, as voted by the league coaches.
The 2024 All-Conference team is comprised of individuals from Belmont, Drake, Illinois State, UIC, Murray State, and Missouri State. The Racers claimed one singles spot on the all-conference team as well two doubles pairings. Drake also grabbed a pair of singles awards, while UIC claimed the No. 2 doubles spot. The All-MVC Second Team has a student-athlete each from Belmont, Bradley, Illinois State, Murray State, and Missouri State.
Belmont’s Mariia Hlahola earns co-MVC Player of the Year honors. Hlahola’s current record is 16-4 in singles ( 7-1 MVC) and 13-5 in doubles (4-4 MVC) Alongside doubles partner junior Anastasiya Zholdakova they earned three-time doubles of the week honors. Hlahola claimed the No. 1 singles title in the individual championship and the No.1 double title in the fall.
Drake’s Ines Stephani earned co-MVC Player of the Year honors for the second year in a row. Ines is a three-time MVC Player of the Week award winner. She is currently 15-3 overall and 7-1 in MVC singles play. Alongside doubles partner Rebecca Ehn they earned doubles of the week at a doubles MVC record of 4-1.
Vesa Gjinaj of Belmont earned Freshman of the Year honors after a dominant season at No. 2 singles, posting a 5-3 record in league play and a 15-6 in singles play overall and 9-9-2 in doubles play.
Illinois State’s Lana Caculovic earned Newcomer of the Year. She went 5-2 in her No. 2 Singles spot and 0-1 in No. 3 Singles.
Murray State’s Jorge Caetano earned the 2024 MVC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year honor. This marks Caetano’s first MVC Coach of the Year honor after leading the Racers to their first MVC tennis title (anf first Murray State MVC title in any sport). Caetano led the Racers to a perfect 8-0 record in league play, while finishing 15-5 overall.
MVC All-Conference First Team
| Position |
Name |
School |
Year |
| No. 1 Singles |
Mariia Hlahola |
Belmont |
So. |
| No. 1 Singles |
Ines Stephani |
Drake |
Sr. |
| No. 2 Singles |
Mille Haagensen |
Drake |
So. |
| No. 3 Singles |
Anastasiya Zholdakova |
Belmont |
So. |
| No. 4 Singles |
Silvia Pomarolli |
Illinois State |
So. |
| No. 5 Singles |
Marit Kreugel |
Murray State |
Gr. |
| No. 6 Singles |
Sandra Lukacova |
Missouri State |
Jr. |
| No. 1 Doubles |
Emma Honore/ Natalie Slezakova |
Murray State |
Gr./ Gr. |
| No. 2 Doubles |
Camille Belberka/Tamara Malazonia |
UIC |
Jr. /Sr. |
| No. 3 Doubles |
Paola Campigotto/Marit Kreugel |
Murray State |
Jr./Gr. |
MVC All-Conference Second Team
| Position |
Name |
School |
Year |
| No. 2 Singles |
Lana Caculovic |
Illinois State |
So. |
| No. 3 Singles |
Emma Honore |
Murray State |
Gr. |
| No. 4 Singles |
Andra Sirbu |
Bradley |
Fr. |
| No. 5 Singles |
Nicole Ross |
Missouri State |
Jr. |
| No. 6 Singles |
Natalie Slezakova |
Murray State |
Gr. |
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Silvia Pomarolli, Illinois State
MVC Freshman of the Year: Vesa Gjinaj, Belmont
MVC Newcomer of the Year: Lana Caculovic, Illinois State
MVC Coach of the Year: Jorge Caetano, Murray State