WESTWOOD, Mass. - The NEWMAC has revealed the 2024 Women's Tennis Major Awards and All-Conference selections, with MIT and Babson securing the major awards. The 2024 NEWMAC Women's Tennis All-Conference team consists of six singles players and three doubles teams, as voted on by the ten competing women's tennis coaches.
Babson’s
Olivia Soffer was voted the Athlete of the Year, while MIT’s
Katya Shepherd Johnson was named the Rookie of the Year. MIT’s Coaching Staff was voted the NEWMAC Women’s Tennis Coaching Staff of the Year by their peers.
Soffer headlines the first team all-conference selections and is joined by teammate
Matia Cristiani. The pair were also honored as a doubles team. Shepherd Johnson earned a spot on the first team and is joined by teammates
Jay Lu and
Aliana Kolli. Kolli and
Artemis Pados were one of the first team doubles selections. Smith’s
Ayla Hauser claims the last singles spot, while MIT’s
Kim Liao and
Anastasia Samets round out the doubles team selections.
Samets was a second-team singles selection, along with teammate
Saina Deshpande. Deshpande and Lu are a second team doubles team. Babson’s
Elena Keitt, Mount Holyoke College’s
Kirat Kaur, and Wellesley College’s
Annissa Mu and
Suzanne Xu wrap up the singles selections. Mu and
Melinda Alviar were awarded as a doubles team. Smith’s
Lili Goshgarian and
Clara Goshgarian complete the second team selections as a doubles selection.
Athlete of the Year- Olivia Soffer (Jr.), Babson College
Soffer is the top ranked singles player in the region. She has won seven consecutive matches and has a 20-2 record on the season, including an undefeated conference slate in which she didn’t lose a set. She was also a member of a doubles team that was undefeated in conference play. Soffer was recently selected to the 2024 NCAA Women’s Tennis Singles and Doubles Championship, and is the singles national runner-up from a season ago.
Rookie of the Year- Katya Shepherd Johnson (Fr.), MIT
In her rookie campaign, Shepherd Johnson went 8-1 at No. 1 singles in NEWMAC play, and 23-6 overall. She is ranked No. 17 in the nation by the ITA, and sixth in the region. She helped MIT win their 13th NEWMAC Championship.
Coaching Staff of the Year- MIT
MIT went undefeated in NEWMAC play, earning the top seed in the NEWMAC Championship, and going on to win their 7th straight NEWMAC title. The Engineers are ranked 11th in the nation by the ITA. The staff is led by Head Coach
Carol Matsuzaki, along with assistants
Kelsey Chen,
Eric Fleming,
Vanessa Kitova and
Mason Bultje.
2024 Women’s Tennis NEWMAC All-Conference Team
| First Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Olivia Soffer |
Babson College |
| First Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Matia Cristiani |
Babson College |
| First Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Jay Lu |
MIT |
| First Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Alaina Kolli |
MIT |
| First Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Katya Shepherd Johnson |
MIT |
| First Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Ayla Hauser |
Smith College |
| First Team All-Conference |
Doubles |
Olivia Soffer/Matia Cristina |
Babson College |
| First Team All-Conference |
Doubles |
Kim Liao/Anastasia Samets |
MIT |
| First Team All-Conference |
Doubles |
Alaina Kolli/Artemis Pados |
MIT |
|
|
|
|
| Second Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Elena Keitt |
Babson College |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Saina Deshpande |
MIT |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Anastasia Samets |
MIT |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Kirat Kaur |
Mount Holyoke College |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Annissa Mu |
Wellesley College |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Singles |
Suzanne Xu |
Wellesley College |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Doubles |
Saina Deshpande/Jay Lu |
MIT |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Doubles |
Lili Goshgarian/Clara Goshgarian |
Smith College |
| Second Team All-Conference |
Doubles |
Annissa Mu/Melinda Alviar |
Wellesley College |
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.