LORETTO, Pa. (June 10, 2015) – Saint Francis University head tennis coach Rob Castille announced his team's second annual awards.
 
After its second-ever Northeast Conference Semifinals appearance, the women's squad saw four players receive All-NEC honors.
 
Most Valuable Player: Rafaela Panizza (Jundiai, Brazil)
 
"Rafaela had a great junior year. She became a player for us that we could always count on to be in each and every match. She was definitely our most consistent player over the course of the year, both in singles and doubles. She played mainly at the #1 singles spot as well as the #1 doubles position. It was great having a player that the other girls could count on to lead the charge and be competitive in every match," said Castille.
 
Most Improved Player: Rafaela Panizza (Jundiai, Brazil)
 
"As I mentioned above, Rafaela was our most valuable player and the reason behind this is because she was the most improved player. She worked hard on her fitness and different aspects of her game over the summer and during the entire year. I think the biggest improvement was her mental game. She definitely became stronger mentally which resulted in her having some great matches this year. She was in every match she played and gave herself every opportunity to be successful," Castille stated.
 
Coach's Award: Camila Diaz (Carolina, Puerto Rico/Colegio La Piedad)
 
"Camila was a great teammate for us. I know she would have loved to play in more matches, but she never complained and always had a great attitude and work ethic. And when we needed her to step up and play, she rose to the occasion and always competed hard. She did anything and everything that was asked of her and she will definitely be missed!" said Castille.
 
*The Coach's Award is awarded to the player that most exemplifies the character and values of Saint Francis University and the women's tennis program and who has shown great leadership both on and off the court.