Tennis Announces 2017 Team Awards
May 10 | Women's Tennis
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers tennis closed out its 2017 season with its annual team banquet last week. Three Scarlet Knights were honored, including senior Farris Cunningham, who was named team MVP.
"Farris had a tremendous season this spring," said head coach Hilary Ritchie. "She demonstrated what confidence and the right mindset can do on the tennis court. I am very proud of her performance this season."
Cunningham closed out the 2017 spring campaign with an 11-9 record in singles action to lead RU. Her six Big Ten Conference victories were also a team-best mark, which included wins over Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Maryland and Minnesota. Cunningham paired with freshman Jacqueline Cochrane for a 12-4 result in doubles, the top doubles team for Rutgers.
Junior Chloe Lee earned the team's "Rah Rah" spirit award. The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native had five singles victories this season competing in the No. 3 position all spring.
"Chloe comes to practice with the right attitude every day," Ritchie said. "Her enthusiasm and personality consistently lift her teammates up. I am hopeful that this positive outlook will benefit her more on the court next year."
In her first season as a Scarlet Knight, junior Mingxiu Du was named the team's "True Grit" recipient. Du competed primarily in the No. 1 position throughout the spring, collecting four Big Ten wins and eight victories overall. Du provided the clinching point in RU's first Big Ten win in program history on April 2 against Penn State with her 7-6 (3), 6-4 decision.
"This is the first year giving out such an award, and Du is an excellent person to receive it," Ritchie said. "When faced with challenges on the court, in the weight room or even in the classroom, Du just digs a little deeper to get it done."
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics ) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers tennis, follow the program on Twitter (@RUwtennis). The team is also on Facebook (facebook.com/RutgersTennis ).
Players Mentioned
