Central Islip, N.Y. - Junior, Celia Respaut
(Saint Denis, Reunion Island) from New York Institute of
Technology, has been named the ECC Women’s Tennis Player of
Year, while teammate Claudia Sanchez Gonzalez (Malaga, Spain) took
home the Rookie of the Year honor. The awards were selected by the
conference’s coaches.
Respaut has been dominant in her first season at NYIT. In 15
matches, she has posted a 14-1 overall record, a flawless 8-0
record at No. 1 singles, and an unbeaten 5-0 mark in ECC play.
Respaut also became the third straight Bear to capture the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) East Region
“A” Singles Tournament to advance to the USTA/ITA Small
College National Championship. At the National Championship, she
defeated Zsofia Lanstiak of Lewis to advance to the semifinals,
where she fell to eventual champion, Valentine Confalonieri of
Lynn. This marks her only loss to date. Respaut has also excelled
at doubles, recording an 11-1 mark with partners Gabriela Siembab
and Madalina Florea.
Respaut’s teammate, Sanchez Gonzalez has been almost as
dominant for NYIT. She currently holds a 12-1 record and is
undefeated in match play at 10-0 (4-0 at No.1, 6-0 at No. 2). Her
lone singles loss on the season came in the ITA East Regional
Tournament to teammate and doubles partner, Sara Burinato. As with
Respaut, Sanchez Gonzalez has been a standout in doubles too,
coming away victorious in 13 of 15 matches.
Alan Nagel of Queens College has been tabbed as the 2013 ECC
Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year by his peers. In his 35th
season leading the Knights, Nagel led the squad to the second seed
in the ECC Women’s Tennis Championship and a 10-1 record in
dual matches. This is the ninth time in his career that Nagel has
been named the conference’s Coach of the Year
2013 ECC
Women’s Tennis All-Conference
First Team
Sara Burinato, Jr., New York Institute of Technology
Aylin Mehter, Gr., Queens
Jessica Nunez, Sr., District of Columbia
Yevgeniya Plevako, Jr., Queens
Celia Respaut, Jr., New York Institute of Technology
Claudia Sanchez Gonzalez, Fr., New York Institute of Technology
Second Team
Melanie Benyadi, Fr., New York Institute of Technology
Lucie Chrastecka, So., LIU Post
Maxime Duijst, Jr., District of Columbia
Madalina Florea, Gr., New York Institute of Technology
Tina Miller, Jr., Roberts Wesleyan
Robyn Romanoff, Sr., Dowling
Player of the Year: Celia Respaut, Jr., New York
Institute of Technology
Rookie of the Year: Claudia Sanchez Gonzalez, Fr.,
New York Institute of Technology
Coach of the Year: Alan Nagel, Queens
