KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kalamazoo College women's tennis team landed two players, Maria Franco and Maddy Winarski, on the All-MIAA First Team and also had Alex Oswalt take home the Karen Caine Scholar Athlete award.
Franco, a senior from Quito, Ecuador, wraps up her Kalamazoo career with her fourth appearance on an All-MIAA team, making the First Team for the second year in a row after being name to the Second Team her first two years. A two-year captain, Franco played one singles and doubles this season, going 6-2 in MIAA singles play. She is also a two-time MIAA Player of the Week honoree.
Coach Mark Murphy said, "Maria has had an outstanding career at Kalamazoo College. She has been a leader on and off the court and she finishes off a Hall of Fame caliber career with another First Team all-conference award"
Winarski, a freshman from Rochester Hills, is fresh off of an MIAA Player of the Week award to close the season. She went 7-1 in MIAA play in singles and doubles, playing primarily at two in both. Winarski was one of only two freshmen named to the MIAA First Team.
Coach Murphy said, "Maddy has excelled this year in her first year. She moved up in the lineup and competed at the highest level in our conference. This is a great honor for Maddy. We are very excited about the future!"
In addition to the All-MIAA teams the conference gives a pair of awards for women's tennis sportsmanship and scholarship. The Karen Caine Scholar Athlete Award is named in honor of long time Adrian tennis coach Karen Caine and is presented annually to the top female tennis scholar athlete.
K senior Alex Oswalt took home the award this season as a chemistry major who holds a 3.93 GPA. Oswalt, a team captain from Vicksburg, is a three-year MIAA Honor Roll and ITA Scholar-Athlete honoree and the first Hornet to win this award since Kelsey Hassevoort in 2012.
Asked about Oswalt, Coach Murphy said, "Alex has been a great leader for our team. She is an excellent student and has been leading our team on and off the court. Alex is an excellent choice by the MIAA for this award. I am thrilled for Alex and excited to see what her future holds."