MOBILE, Alabama — Xavier University of Louisiana's Mariia Borodii was named Intercollegiate Tennis Association/NAIA Women's National Rookie of the Year Monday evening at a banquet for all teams participating in the NAIA National Championships.Borodii, a freshman from Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, is 15-0 in singles — winning all those matches on the first court — and 15-4 in doubles with 10 victories in her last 11 decisions with Yi Chen Pao. Borodii is the only Gold Nugget ever to achieve top-3 national rankings in singles (No. 2) and doubles (No. 3).
Borodii was the Region IV (South) winner of this award. The other finalists were Ana Zavala of William Woods (Central), Lina Sachica of Lindsey Wilson (East) and Sarah Schaerer of San Diego Christian (West).
This is the third time that the Gold Nuggets received an ITA national award at the pre-tournament banquet. Alan Green was named Coach of the Year in 2012-13, and Nour Abbes — now a member of the coaching staff — was Rookie of the Year in 2013-14.
Receiving their regional awards at the banquet were XULA's Abbes (tasc Women's Assistant Coach of the Year), Charlene Goreau (Women's Player to Watch), Catalin Fifea(Men's Most Improved Senior) and Shaikh Abdullah (Men's Rookie of the Year). The ITA announced those awards last week.
Receiving NAIA Champions of Character awards were Pao of the Gold Nuggets and Samir Chikhaoui of the Gold Rush. Each team at the tournament can nominate one recipient who best exemplifies the Champions of Character traits of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship and servant leadership.
The tournament will begin Tuesday at Copeland-Cox Mobile Tennis Center. Both XULA teams have first-round byes and will play Wednesday in the round of 16 — the Gold Nuggets at 9 a.m. against SCAD Savannah or Cumberlands and the Gold Rush at 1 p.m. against Middle Georgia or Asbury.
Ed Cassiere, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications
XULAgold.com
XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA
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