ITA Announces Post-Season Women's Tennis Awards
6/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
June 12, 2000
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Two Wake Forest freshmen earned post-season distinctions from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as announced at the conclusion of the 2000 tennis season.
Wake's Adria Engel was named the ITA's National Rookie of the Year, as well as earning Southeast Region Rookie of the Year honors. Engel, who was also named ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, will play with the ITA All-America Team this summer. She set a school record for victories in one season, with 45, and played as the Deacons' No. 1 seed for the majority of the season. She was seeded third in the NCAA Individual Championships, but lost in the first round to Florida's Stephanie Hazlett. Engel compiled a 45-10 record this season and will enter next season ranked eighth nationally by the ITA.
Freshman Bea Bielik, who earned All-American status in both singles and doubles, was tabbed as the ITA's Player to Watch in the Southeast Region. Bielik, along with partner Janet Bergman, reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament, dropping a three-set match to a doubles team from Georgia. In singles, Bielik also reached the round of 16 in the individual championships, before falling to No. 5 seed Aarthi Venkatesan of Georgia.
As a team, the Deacons advanced to the final eight of the NCAA Championship field in Malibu, CA, capping Wake's best season in the program's history. The Deacs finished the season as the ACC Regular Season Champions, and earned a national ranking as high as No. 3 after compiling a 24-3 overall record.