Ball State University Athletics
Wild and Earnest Receive All-MAC First Team Honors
April 23, 2015 | Women's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. - Senior Courtney Wild (Carmel, Ind.) and junior Courtney Earnest (Lexington, Ohio) of the Ball State women's tennis team have earned All-Mid-American Conference First Team accolades. The All-MAC honors are voted by the league's coaches and were announced by the conference office Thursday.
"I am very proud of Earnest and Wild," Ball State Head women's tennis Coach Max Norris said. "To be the only school to have two first team players is truly an honor and distinction for Ball State University. Courtney and Courtney have undoubtedly produced as individuals on the court this season. However, I believe their focus, competitive toughness, and effort day in and day out has made others around them better and that's a true indication of someone's impact on a team. We are excited for this weekend.”
Wild was named All-MAC First Team for the fourth straight season, which makes her the first player in program history to achieve the honor all four years. She currently owns a 19-7 overall mark and a 5-2 conference ledger. For her career, Wild has won 85 total matches and sits at sixth all-time in program wins. She won seven-straight matches from Feb. 8 to March 17. Wild has played at the No. 1 singles position in all but one of the Cardinals 15 dual matches this season.
This is Earnest's second time to receive All-MAC First Team accolades. As a freshman, Earnest earned All-MAC Second Team honors. For the third straight season, she has led the Cardinals in singles victories. Earnest is currently 22-4 overall and went undefeated in MAC play with a 7-0 record. She played at the No. 1 doubles position with teammate Rosalinda Calderon and was recently ranked 76th in the national polls. Earnest has won 73 matches for her career and is currently tied for ninth all-time in program victories with Gena Tranquada (1998-01).
Norris, who is wrapping up his second year at the helm of the Ball State women's tennis team, owns a 31-13 (.704) career mark with the Cardinals and a 10-5 (.500) conference record.
The Ball State women's tennis team (15-5, 4-3 MAC) is set to compete as the No. 3 seed at the 2015 Mid-American Conference Tournament Friday in Oxford, Ohio hosted by No. 1 Miami University where it will take on No. 6 Buffalo (7-10, 3-4) at 2 p.m. The Cardinals and the Bulls did not face each other this season. If Ball State should advance to the semifinal round, it will compete against No. 2 Western Michigan Saturday at 2 p.m.
Second team All-MAC honors also went to Toledo senior Pia Rygh.
2015 Women's Tennis All-MAC
FIRST TEAM
@*Nelle Youel, Northern Illinois
&*#Courtney Wild, Ball State
&^Courtney Earnest, Ball State
Tanja Stojanovska, Buffalo
&*Klara Supejova, Eastern Michigan
Alix Thurman, Miami
SECOND TEAM:
@Andreea Badileanu, Miami
Pia Rygh, Toledo
Meika Ashby, Western Michigan
Olivia Myers, Western Michigan
Ani Gogvadze, Eastern Michigan
Olga Shkundina, Akron
&2014 First Team All-MAC
@2014 Second Team All-MAC
*2013 First Team All-MAC
^2013 Second Team All-MAC
#2012 First Team All-MAC
COACH OF THE YEAR: Betsy Kuhle, Western Michigan
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Nelle Youel, Northern Illinois
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Tanja Stojanovska, Buffalo
LEANN GRIMES DAVIDGE SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Olga Shkundina, Akron
