Tennis Players Receive SSAC Postseason Honors

Members of the Brenau tennis team were honored at the 2017 Southern States Athletic Conference Women's Tennis banquet on Thursday in Mobile, Alabama.

Three student-athletes were honored for their on-court performances as Maya Mammetgulyyeva, Patricia Recalde Pacua and Paula Rives Palau were each named as SSAC All-Conference team members.

Mammetgulyevva, a native of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, is a two-time All-Conference selection after being honored as a sophomore in 2016. She was ranked #37 in singles and #16 in doubles (along with Rebecca Pijls) this season.

"Maya (Mammetgulyyeva) played mostly #3 last year," said head coach Andre Ferreira. "Her overall record doesn't indicate her performance this season. She played many close battles and competed on an equal level against most of her #1 opponents."

Recalde Pacua, now a three-time SSAC All-Conference selection, was previously named to both the 2015 and 2016 teams. A native of Asuncion, Paraguay, she boasted an overall singles record of 11-8 and an SSAC record of 10-1 this season.

For Rives Palau, this was her first All-Conference honor, after going 12-9 overall and a perfect 11-0 in SSAC play. The Barcelona, Spain native notched a number of significant wins, including victories over players from William Carey, Mobile, Middle Georgia and Coastal Georgia.

"Paty (Recalde Pacua) and Paula (Rives Palau) each found tremendous success playing higher in the lineup too," said Ferreira. "Paula played mostly #6 last season while Paty played #4. To move up a couple of spots on the lineup and still put those kinds of stats is an indication of their potential."

Rives Palua and Recalde Pacua also joined teammate Rebecca Pijls as SSAC All-Academic Team members for their outstanding academic achievements. Students that earn this award must achieve a minimum of a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and be enrolled in at least four semesters of college.

Also, the entire team was also chosen by conference coaches for the 2017 Champions of Character team sportsmanship award. Teams are nominated for their commitment to the NAIA Five Core Values of Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship and Servant Leadership.

Ferreira noted of his team, "I also think each of them developed leadership qualities this year so I'm looking forward to their senior season in 2017-2018. All three will be seniors next year and our team will benefit from their experience and qualities on and off the court."