BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced the 2023-24 MIAC Women’s Tennis Awards on Tuesday.
Carleton junior Amelia Asfaw was the recipient of the MIAC Women’s Tennis Singles Player of the Year award, while Asfaw and doubles partner Mary Hose received the conference’s Doubles Team of the Year honor. Bethel first-year Michaella Sullivan was named the Women’s Tennis Rookie of the Year and Carleton head coach Luciano Battaglini was named the Head Coach of the Year for women’s tennis.
Gustavus senior Alli Laux was also selected as the 2024 MIAC Chris Evert Award winner. The award annually recognizes a senior women's tennis student-athlete who exhibits outstanding sportsmanship and exemplary athletic, academic, and humanitarian accomplishments.
Asfaw (Seattle, Wash. | Seattle Prep) was selected as the MIAC Singles Player of the Year after going a perfect 7-0 at the No. 1 singles spot in conference play this season. She was 12-0 overall in singles play this season.
The team of Asfaw and Hose (Columbia, Mo. | Rock Bridge) went 6-0 in MIAC play – all at No. 1 doubles – to earn Doubles Team of the Year honors. The pair also earned a 12-0 record in overall doubles play.
Sullivan (Prior Lake, Minn. | Lakeville South) received MIAC Rookie of the Year honors after going 9-1 in MIAC singles matches, all at the No. 2 spot. Sullivan also collected six MIAC wins in doubles action this season.
Battaglini (17th season) received his second consecutive MIAC Coach of the Year Award for women’s tennis after guiding Carleton to a perfect record and the program’s seventh conference championship in the last 12 seasons. This is Battaglini’s fourth Coach of the Year honor, having been previously selected as the recipient in 2012, 2017, and 2023.
Laux (Onalaska, Wis.) was selected as the recipient of the prestigious MIAC Chris Evert Award. A winner of more than 100 combined singles and doubles matches during her time as a Gustie, Laux has also excelled in the classroom, maintaining a 3.988 grade point average as she prepares for a career in education.
“Alli lives out her passion of serving others, specifically youth, through both her words and actions,” Gustavus head coach Jon Carlson said. “She is exactly who every parent wants for their son or daughter in a teacher.”
The three-time All-MIAC honoree has volunteered as a teacher’s assistant, playground supervisor, and paraprofessional in the classroom at elementary & middle schools in St. Peter and Mankato area school districts. She is the program director for “Gustie Buddies” which connects Gustavus students with youth in St. Peter with developmental disabilities. In addition, she is a member of the Gustavus Pediatric Cancer Outreach Crew that weekly sends cards to children battling cancer. Laux is an officer in the Gustavus Student Educators Association and a member of the Kappa Delta Pi National Educators Honor Society. She teaches tennis in her hometown of Onalaska as well as at Gustavus. Laux is the sixth Gustie to receive the MIAC Chris Evert Award.
The 2024 MIAC Women’s Tennis All-Conference Singles and Doubles teams were also recognized. The All-Conference team is selected based on performance during conference dual matches, with the top 18 players (including ties) recognized for both singles and doubles. Coaches also voted on honorable mention selections.
Awards are nominated by and voted on by the MIAC head women's tennis coaches and statistics from MIAC matches are considered for conference honors; any nominated player not selected as All-Conference but still receiving votes from at least three coaches was named honorable mention.
The MIAC also announced the All-Playoff Team for women's tennis, which recognized the top nine performers from the conference tournament, as selected by playoff-participant head coaches.