2020-21 Liberty League Women’s Tennis Awards
Player of the Year: Risa Fukushige, Senior, Skidmore College
Skidmore College senior Risa Fukushige was selected as the Liberty League Player of the Year for the third time in her career (no awards were selected last spring). In her four-year career with the Thoroughbreds, Fukushige has compiled a 54-17 record in singles competition, including 39-6 (.867) in dual matches and 20-0 in Liberty League regular-season matches, helping Skidmore to league titles all four years. In an abbreviated spring campaign, Fukushige went 5-0 at first singles and 5-1 at first doubles and did not drop a set in Liberty League play. Her top win was a 6-1, 3-6, 10-3 win on the road over Middlebury’s Amy Delman. The Thoroughbreds open NCAA championship play on May 15 with a second-round match against North Central College.
Rookie of the Year: Sofie Shen, First Year, Vassar College
Vassar College first-year player Sofie Shen was selected as the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. Shen went 6-0 in singles play and 6-1 in doubles with teammate Cara Kizilbash. In singles, she opened the season at number four before quickly move up to the third position and finishing the regular season at number two. Shen didn’t drop a set in singles competition, losing more than three games in a set only twice in her seven matches. In doubles competition, Shen and Kizilbash won their final six matches, including an 8-6 win over Fukushige and Lal of Skidmore at the first position.
Coaching Staff of the Year: Skidmore College – Head Coach Curt Speerschneider; Assistant Coach Stephen Thirolle
Skidmore head coach Curt Speerschneider led the Thoroughbreds to a 7-1 overall record this spring, including 5-0 in Liberty League play. After winning the regular-season title, Skidmore defeated Rensselaer in the semifinals and Vassar in the championship to capture the program’s 10th straight Liberty League title. The Thoroughbreds received a first-round bye in the NCAA Championship and will open the tournament with a second-round match against North Central College on May 15. Skidmore compiled a 27-3 record in Liberty League regular-season singles players and a 10-5 mark in doubles action. Speerschneider is assisted by Stephen Thirolle.
First Team All-Liberty League (Singles)
Maggie Bonomo, Jr., William Smith
Lily Feldman, Jr., Skidmore
Risa Fukushige, Sr., Skidmore
Rani Jones, So., RPI
Sofie Shen, Fr., Vassar
Melina Stavropoulos, Jr., Vassar
Second Team All-Liberty League (Singles)
Katherine Almquist, Fr., Skidmore
Tatum Blalock, So., Vassar
Megan Brown, Sr., Union
Maya Lal, So., Skidmore
Caroline Reilly, Sr., St. Lawrence
Lillian Sullivan, So., St. Lawrence
Chanhtel Thongphok, So., Skidmore
Honorable Mention (Singles)
Rachel Caplan, Fr., St. Lawrence
Marilena Karadimou, So., Union
Cara Kizilbash, Jr., Vassar
Meredith Macey, Fr., St. Lawrence
First Team All-Liberty League (Doubles)
Tatum Blalock, So. / Melina Stavropoulos, Jr., Vassar
Maggie Bonomo, Jr. / Audreyanna Camacho, So., William Smith
Risa Fukushige, Sr. / Maya Lal, So., Skidmore
Second Team All-Liberty League (Doubles)
Chloe Barr, So. / Rani Jones, So., RPI
Natalie Cipriano, So. / Krisia Flores-Gonzalez, So., RPI
Cara Kizilbash, Jr. / Sofie Shen, Fr., Vassar
Honorable Mention (Doubles)
Lily Feldman, Jr. / Chanhtel Thongphok, So., Skidmore