All-NECC Women’s Tennis Teams Announced with Costa and Morneau Taking Top Honors

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – All five New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) women’s tennis programs were represented on the 2010 All-NECC  Women’s Tennis Team and NECC major awards, announced today by Commissioner Del Malloy.

Bay Path College Wildcat junior Sarah Costa (Tiverton, R.I) received top honors, as she was named NECC Player of the Year.  Costa, a two-time NECC Individual Flight Champion, graduated from Tiverton High School in 2008. She is majoring in Child Psychology.  She was a four-time NECC Player of the Week. Costa finished regular-season play with a perfect 11-0 record at #2 singles in the NECC, while also going 7-4 in #1 doubles action. She finished the year with a perfect 8-0 #2 singles record and a 5-3 #1 doubles record in conference.

The NECC Rookie of the Year went to Mitchell College Mariner freshman Mackenzie Flanagan (San Anselmo, Calif.), a graduate of San Domenico High School. Mitchell’s first year student-athlete is a Sports Management major.  She was a four-time NECC Rookie of the Week. Flanagan finished regular-season play with a 11-5 overall record and a 6-2 mark in conference play at the #1 singles position. In doubles play, she was 7-7 overall and 4-4 in the NECC at the #1 position.

Bay Path’s Steve Morneau was honored as NECC Coach of the Year. This is Morneau’s first conference honor.  The Wildcats finished the season sharing the 2010 NECC Women’s Tennis trophy with a 10-1 overall record and a 7-1 tally in conference play. This is the second time Bay Path has won the title, also taking the top spot in 2008. Coach Morneau has also produced all three NECC Player of the Year recipients.

The NECC Team Sportsmanship Award was presented to the Mariners of Mitchell College. The Mariners are led by head coach Rick Carmona, a two-time men’s and women’s coach of the year. Mitchell finished fifth in the NECC with a 2-12 overall record and 0-8 in the NECC.

Voting for the All-NECC team and each of the major awards was conducted among all NECC women’s tennis coaches.

Joining Costa and Flanagan on the first team for singles are Becker senior Danielle Stryker (Ledyard, Conn.), Lesley junior Courtney Mullen (Springfield, Ore.) and senior Michelle Side (Miller Place, N.Y.) and Bay Path senior Carolina Ynguanzo (Springfield, Mass.)

Becker’s #1 and #2 doubles tandems earned first team doubles honors. Stryker and junior Shauna McNally (Worcester, Mass.) and juniors Laura Mimms (Ashland, Mass.) and Megan Nessen (Levittown, Penn.) captured the accolades.

Three players earned honorable mention in singles including McNally, Bay Path freshman Ashley Sears (Turners Falls, Mass.) and Newbury junior Kristen Connors (Riverside, R.I.), while Bay Path partners Costa and senior Lauren Hangasky (Ludlow, Mass.) earned honorable mention in doubles.