ROME, Ga. – Old Dominion junior Sofia Johnson has been named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year to highlight the annual SBC Women’s Tennis Awards and All-Conference Teams announced Tuesday. The honors were voted upon by the league’s 14 women’s tennis head coaches.
The 2024 Sun Belt Conference Women’s Tennis Championship will take place this Wednesday through Sunday at the Rome Tennis Center in Rome, Ga.
Johnson, a London, England native, is currently 12-4 in singles with a 7-2 mark in league play on court number one. She debuted in national rankings at #122 on April 9 and moved up to #118 on April 16. Over the course of the season, Johnson accomplished a nine-match winning streak from Feb. 10 to April 7. She tallied wins over Ole Miss, Florida State, Iowa State (2), Kansas and VCU during the non-conference portion of the schedule. Johnson also won consecutive Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors to start the season.
Old Dominion’s Lidiia Rasskouskaia earned both Sun Belt Player to Watch and Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year. The junior from St. Petersburg, Russia, touted a 16-1 record this spring with a 9-0 mark in league play on courts four and five. She finished the year with a nine-match winning streak through conference play. Rasskouskaia closed out the regular season clinching the match point in the Monarchs’ win at App State. She added non-conference wins over Florida State, Iowa State (2), Wake Forest, Penn State, Kansas and VCU. In doubles, she teamed with Sofia Johnson for an undefeated conference season on court one.
Old Dominion’s Ulyana Romanova earned Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors. The Kazhakstan native finished 14-4 this spring mainly on court six. During the season, Romanova completed a 14-match winning streak from Feb. 4 to April 12. She finished with a 9-1 record in league action. In non-conference play, she added wins over Iowa State (2), Penn State, Kansas, Princeton, VCU. Her win at VCU was the match clincher as ODU defeated the then 47th-ranked Rams 4-3. She was named Sun Belt Player of the Week for her 2-0 weekend defeating VCU and Princeton. In doubles, she teamed with Alexandra Viktorovitch on court two with a 7-4 mark.
Old Dominion head coach Dominic Manilla was chosen by his peers as the Sun Belt Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Manilla accomplished his second straight undefeated regular season in Sun Belt play. Under his leadership, the Monarchs have not lost a Sun Belt Conference match (regular season or tournament). Down to five healthy bodies for a three-week stretch, Manilla led the Monarchs to a 3-1 mark with wins over nationally ranked VCU (4-3), Marshall (5-2) and Southern Miss (4-2). With their success this season, the Monarchs have been featured in the ITA rankings for the last month.
2024 Sun Belt Women’s Tennis Awards:
Women’s Tennis Player of the Year: Sofia Johnson, Old Dominion
Women’s Tennis Player to Watch: Lidiia Rasskouskaia, Old Dominion
Women’s Tennis Newcomer of the Year: Lidiia Rasskouskaia, Old Dominion
Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Year: Ulyana Romanova, Old Dominion
Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year: Dominic Manilla, Old Dominion
Singles First Team All-Conference
Savannah Dada-Mascoll, App State
Ninon Martinache, Georgia Southern
Johanna Strom, Marshall
Sofia Johnson, Old Dominion
Alexandra Viktorovitch, Old Dominion
Elysia Pool, South Alabama
Singles Second Team All-Conference
Jesse Hollins, Coastal Carolina
Maria Paredes, Georgia State
Alba Retortillo, Georgia State
Daria Munteanu, James Madison
Doroteja Joksovic, Marshall
Tereza Dejnozkova, South Alabama
Doubles First Team All-Conference
Emma Vanderheyden/Johanna Strom, Marshall
Sofia Johnson/Lidiia Rasskouskaia, Old Dominion
Tereza Dejnozkova/Elysia Pool, South Alabama
Doubles Second Team All-Conference
Ninon Martinache/Sonja Keranen, Georgia Southern
Sophia Hurrion/Aisling McGrane, Marshall
Leena Metwally/Hagar Ramadan-Amin, Troy