Amherst, Mass. — After a 17-5 season and a runner-up finish in the Atlantic 10 Championship Tournament, the UMass women’s tennis program named its annual award winners and team captains for the 2015-16 season.
The Minute women tied the program record for the second-most wins in a single-season (17) and reached the A-10 title match for the sixth time since 1997-98. Over the last four years, UMass has reached the title match twice and finished as semifinalists two other times.
In honor of their terrific seasons this past year, junior Arielle Griffin and freshman Ana Yrazusta were named co-MVPs of the squad.
Griffin posted an 18-12 overall record in singles play including a 13-7 mark in dual matches. Primarily playing No. 3 singles, Griffin was 11-4 at the position. In doubles play, Griffin was 16-13 overall including a 10-7 mark in dual matches. Paired mostly with Aarzoo Malik at No. 2 doubles, the duo went 9-6 in dual matches, 3-1 in A-10 matches and ended the season with a five-match win streak. At the end of the year, Griffin was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference second team.
Finally, head coach Judy Dixon announced that the team’s captains next year will be Griffin and rising junior Julia Larson. Larson is 2-1 in singles play during her career and 2-0 in doubles play. This past fall, she earned a straight set win against Minnesota in singles action and doubles victories over Minnesota and Boston University.
All told, UMass will enter the 2015-16 campaign as one of the top programs in the Atlantic 10 with Glasper and Gianna Francis as the only seniors on the 2014-15 squad.
NB Arielle Griffin is the daughter of Vinette James and Sylvester Griffin of Nevis.