No. 32 SMU W-Tennis: Earns Four All-Conference USA Honorees

IRVING, Texas (SMU/C-USA) — The No. 32 SMU women’s tennis team (21-5) had four All-Conference USA honorees, the league announced on Tuesday. This is the fifth straight season at least three Mustangs have earned All-C-USA honors under head coach Lauren Longbotham Meisner. This is the third consecutive season with at least four all-league selections; the team recorded five in 2010.

Juniors Marta Lesniak and Aleksandra Malyarchikova were named to the first team for the third straight year. Sophomore Edyta Cieplucha earned second-team honors while junior Heather Steinbauer made the third team. The No. 63 duo of Lesniak and Malyarchikova were also selected All-Conference first team in doubles for the second time. They also earned the distinction in 2009.

Lesniak is ranked No. 9 in singles with a 41-5 record this season and has a 19-match winning streak. She is 17-4 against ranked opponents and is 23-2 in dual matches at No. 1 singles. He 41 victories are second in a season at SMU, just four off the mark set by Stephanie Fess in 1981-82. Her season winning percentage of .891 would rank eighth at SMU.

Malyarchikova is 22-2 on the season with a 22-1 mark in dual matches. She has been as high as No. 95 in the ITA rankings this year. Her season winning percentage of .917 would rank sixth at SMU.

Malyarchikova and Lesniak are ranked No. 63 as a tandem with a 20-4 record this season. All of their matches have been at the No. 1 spot in dual meets. They are 3-2 against ranked opponents and have won 17 of their last 18 matches overall.

Cieplucha is 19-8 for the season. She has played most of the year at

No. 2 doubles, recording a 17-6 mark in that position. Steinbauer is 21-11 overall with a 17-7 dual-match record. She is 11-6 at No. 3 singles in dual-match play.

The Conference USA Specialty Awards and NCAA team selections are Tuesday. NCAA individual selections are announced on Wednesday.

All-Conference USA First Team
S: Michaela Kissell, Marshall
S: Courtney Collins, Memphis
S: Rebekka Hänle, Rice
S: Marta Lesniak, SMU
S: Aleksandra Malyarchikova, SMU
S: Alexandra Kichoutkin, Tulsa
D: Marta Lesniak / Aleksandra Malyarchikova, SMU

All-Conference USA Second Team
S: Dominique Harmath, Rice
S: Edyta Cieplucha, SMU
S: Mariam Kurdadze, Tulane
S: Anastasia Erofeeva, Tulsa
S: Michelle Farley, Tulsa
S: Sam Vickers, Tulsa
D: Michaela Kissell / Dominika Zaprazna, Marshall

All-Conference USA Third Team
S: Catherine Kellner, Marshall
S: Dominika Zaprazna, Marshall
S: Mariya Slupska, Memphis
S: Heather Steinbauer, SMU
S: Emma Levy, Tulane
S: Ewa Szatkowska, Tulsa
D: Alexandra Kichoutkin / Jo-Anne Karaitiana, Tulsa
D: Anastasia Erofeeva / Ewa Szatkowska, Tulsa

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