Northwestern University Athletics
Byrne, Hand, Or Earn Big Ten Postseason Honors
5/2/2019 11:41:00 AM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. — Senior Lee Or, junior Julie Byrne and first year Clarissa Hand each received postseason honors, the Big Ten Conference office announced Thursday.
Byrne and Hand were both All-Big Ten Team selections, as selected by the league's coaches. In addition to the unanimous All-Big Ten recognition, Hand was named Co-Freshman of the Year along with Ohio State's Isabelle Boulais. Or earned Northwestern's Sportsmanship Award.
In her first season as a Wildcat, Hand made a profound impact. The Moorestown, N.J., native is Northwestern's highest-ranked singles player (No. 39) and recently earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Singles Championship – the first NU rookie to do so since 2007 when Samantha Murray qualified. She has 12 singles victories in the dual season at the No. 1 position, the most of any Big Ten rookie, and has six wins against players in the latest ITA top-125, including three against opponents in the top-10. She was the lone Big Ten first year to earn multiple Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors.
Hand is the 10th Wildcat to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and first since Erin Larner in 2015.
Byrne capped the regular season winning six consecutive singles matches to tally a team-high 16 wins in dual matches. Twelve of her 16 dual singles wins came in straight sets and the Dublin, Ireland, native claimed six wins over opponents in the latest ITA top-125 rankings. She teamed with Hannah McColgan in doubles play to go 11-4 at the No. 2 spot. Byrne earned Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors in the final week of the regular season after going a perfect 6-0 in singles and doubles play and leading NU to a 3-0 week, including a win over No. 18 Ohio State.
Or was Northwestern's most consistent singles player in league action. During her final campaign, Or went 8-2 against league opponents and claimed a pair of top-100 wins. She teamed up with Hand at the No. 1 doubles spot and went 14-8 during the spring, including a 7-2 mark in league play.
Northwestern clinched its 24th consecutive berth to the NCAA tournament this week and will battle Princeton in the opening round Friday, May 4, in Seattle, Washington. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT.
Byrne and Hand were both All-Big Ten Team selections, as selected by the league's coaches. In addition to the unanimous All-Big Ten recognition, Hand was named Co-Freshman of the Year along with Ohio State's Isabelle Boulais. Or earned Northwestern's Sportsmanship Award.
In her first season as a Wildcat, Hand made a profound impact. The Moorestown, N.J., native is Northwestern's highest-ranked singles player (No. 39) and recently earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Singles Championship – the first NU rookie to do so since 2007 when Samantha Murray qualified. She has 12 singles victories in the dual season at the No. 1 position, the most of any Big Ten rookie, and has six wins against players in the latest ITA top-125, including three against opponents in the top-10. She was the lone Big Ten first year to earn multiple Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors.
Hand is the 10th Wildcat to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and first since Erin Larner in 2015.
Byrne capped the regular season winning six consecutive singles matches to tally a team-high 16 wins in dual matches. Twelve of her 16 dual singles wins came in straight sets and the Dublin, Ireland, native claimed six wins over opponents in the latest ITA top-125 rankings. She teamed with Hannah McColgan in doubles play to go 11-4 at the No. 2 spot. Byrne earned Big Ten Athlete of the Week honors in the final week of the regular season after going a perfect 6-0 in singles and doubles play and leading NU to a 3-0 week, including a win over No. 18 Ohio State.
Or was Northwestern's most consistent singles player in league action. During her final campaign, Or went 8-2 against league opponents and claimed a pair of top-100 wins. She teamed up with Hand at the No. 1 doubles spot and went 14-8 during the spring, including a 7-2 mark in league play.
Northwestern clinched its 24th consecutive berth to the NCAA tournament this week and will battle Princeton in the opening round Friday, May 4, in Seattle, Washington. First serve is set for 4 p.m. CT.
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