Ferris State Freshman Earns ITA Midwest Region Rookie Player Of Year Honor
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Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University freshman Noelly Longi Nsimba has been recognized as the 2015 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Region Rookie Player of the year for her performance in helping lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Division II Tournament this past season.
A freshman from Montreal, Quebec, Nsimba was one of eight players from across the nation awarded regional rookie of the year accolades from the ITA.
The Bulldog newcomer had an impressive fall in her Bulldog debut as she went 10-2 in GLIAC singles action, including a 10-1 mark at the number two spot in the lineup while earning first-team all-conference laurels. She also teamed up with Olga Martinsone to post a 7-0 doubles mark at the top spot after beginning the year paired with junior Shawnee-Ann Brelsford. She won her final seven GLIAC regular-season singles matches along with her last seven conference doubles encounters prior to the league tournament.
This spring, Nsimba moved up to the number one singles position and recorded a 6-5 mark while going 8-3 in doubles play at the top spot. Overall, she was 20-7 in singles action during the 2014-15 campaign and 21-6 in the doubles round for a combined 41-13 overall performance.
The Bulldogs wrapped up the season with a 19-9 overall record this campaign and made the program's 20th trip to the national tournament, including the first berth in four seasons since 2011. FSU won four of its last five outings this spring and claimed wins in six of its last eight matches overall. The Bulldogs posted a 8-4 mark in spring competition after going 11-5 overall during the fall season.
As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of varsity collegiate tennis players. The ITA, which is comprised of nearly 1,700 men's and women's varsity coaches and 20,000 student-athletes from over 1,200 institutions, has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership, sportsmanship and athletic performance. Awards are given to both men and women, on the Regional and National levels to all Divisions represented within the ITA (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, and Community and Junior Colleges).
The ITA annually recognizes over 3,000 student-athletes on an individual and team basis from over 500 different varsity tennis programs. More than 300 coaches participate in the award selection process, serving on Regional and/or National selection committees. For more information on the ITA Awards program, please visit: http://www.itatennis.com/AboutITA/AbouttheITA.htm