BIG EAST WOMEN'S TENNIS AWARDS RELEASE
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Sophomore Chloe Sher (Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong) has been named to the Women’s Tennis All-BIG EAST Team the conference announced on Thursday, capping an already incredible season.
Sher is the first Pirate in program history to earn a spot on the All-BIG EAST Team.
2012 is the fourth year that the BIG EAST has selected an all-conference team. In years prior, postseason awards were limited to All-Tournament Team chosen after the conclusion of the BIG EAST Championship.
After just two years on campus, Sher has already established herself as one of the most prolific players in the program’s 38-year history.
Through her play this season, the Hong Kong native debunked the myth of a sophomore slump, posting 20 total singles wins for the second consecutive year.
Sher finished with a team-best 20-10 singles record and a 14-5 mark in dual match play.
With 40 wins already to her credit, Sher stands just 11 victories shy of cracking the top-10 on the SHU career singles wins list. If she continues on her current pace, she will leave Seton Hall having etched her name in the record book as the player with the second most wins in school history.
Kristen Downing is listed as the school’s leader in career singles wins with 86 victories from 1992-97.
The past season was full of milestones for Sher as she provided a consistent force at the top of the Pirates lineup, helping the team earn its first BIG EAST Championship berth since 2006-07.
After a rocky start to the spring season, Sher combined with doubles partner Rocio Portela (Demetrio Vega Baja, Puerto Rico) to reel off 13 consecutive wins at #1 doubles, a stretch that included wins over five BIG EAST teams and the top duo from #73 Fordham.
The 13th and final win of the streak, an 8-4 victory in a crucial team win over West Virginia, gave the two classmates 15 wins as a team on the year, setting a new SHU single-season record. Sher and Portela eclipsed the previous mark of 14 set by Viviana Figueroa and Nadezhda Shein, six years ago.
Overall, Sher and Portela finished with an impressive 15-7 mark as a team.
Along the way, Sher and Portela also rose to the top spot in the school record book as the doubles pair with the most career wins. The record-breaking 23rd career win came in a hard fought 8-7 triumph over Kelly Comolli and Lauren Greco of Georgetown. The sophomore duo finished the season with 26 career victories, four clear of previous record holders Catalina Isaza and Lorell Zamot, who teamed to post 22 wins from 2003-05.
Her doubles prowess aside, Sher also made her mark on the singles court in 2011-12. She receives the honor after navigating her way through a tough conference schedule during which she matched up with the opponent’s top player in all nine of the Pirates’ BIG EAST matches.
When it was all said and done, Sher had undoubtedly established herself as one of the best players in the conference, emerging with a sterling 8-1 record against BIG EAST foes.
Earlier in the spring, she became the first SHU player to be named BIG EAST Player of the Week after winning both of her matches on the team’s spring break trip, including a 4-6, 6-2, 10-6 comeback win over Amy Simidian of Fordham, the 16th ranked player in the Northeast region.
This was the first of numerous victories for Sher over ranked opposition as she finished the year boasting a 4-1 mark against nationally or regionally ranked opponents. She came out on top in her final four such matches, highlighted by a 6-1, 6-2 dismantling of Syracuse’s Emily Harman, the #108 player in the country.
"I am extremely proud of what Chloe has accomplished this season," said head coach Greg Wyzykowski.
"Her success is a culmination of the hard work and dedication she has displayed throughout her time here and this award is just icing on the cake. As a team we get to see how talented she is on a daily basis but it is nice to see that she has opened up some eyes around the conference as well."
Notre Dame senior Shannon Mathews was named Player of the Year, while DePaul's Jasmin Kling took home Freshman of the Year honors.
Jay Louderback of Notre Dame was selected Coach of the Year after guiding the Irish to their fifth consecutive BIG EAST title.
2012 BIG EAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS AWARDS
