NAC RELEASE
BOSTON, Mass. – Following a second consecutive North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Championship, Simmons University Tennis earned multiple postseason honors, highlighted by junior Masha Shutts being named NAC Player of the Year and first-year Ivy Cote earning NAC Rookie of the Year. The Sharks enter the offseason riding a program-record 14-match winning streak after dropping their season opener, winning every match since.
The backbone of the Sharks' back-to-back championship runs, head coach Bob Rauseo and assistant coach Jyl Collins were named NAC Coaching Staff of the Year for their leadership in guiding Simmons to another standout season. The honor marks the ninth Coach of the Year recognition of Rauseo's career and the first time both Rauseo and Collins have received the honor in the NAC.
In just their second year competing as associate members of the conference, the Sharks continued to establish themselves as a force in the NAC, finishing the season with a 14-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0 mark in conference play.
Shutts led the way for the Sharks throughout the season, primarily competing at No. 1 singles, where she posted an 11-2 record. She finished the season on a seven-match winning streak and went 5-0 against conference opponents, earning First Team All-NAC honors in both singles and doubles. The NAC Player of the Year honor marks Shutts' second major conference award of her career after earning Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Rookie of the Year as a first-year.
Cote made an immediate impact in her first collegiate season, finishing with a 9-4 singles record and a perfect 5-0 mark against conference opponents. She also teamed up with first-year Victoria McCrann to post a perfect 7-0 record in doubles. Cote earned First Team All-NAC honors in singles and Second Team recognition in doubles, while McCann joined her on the Second Team.
Senior Emilie Lapointe earned First Team All-NAC honors in both singles and doubles after another dominant season. Lapointe finished with a perfect 14-0 singles record and a 13-1 mark in doubles. She did not drop a singles match all season and has earned First Team All-Conference recognition throughout her career, with two selections in the GNAC and two in the NAC.
Junior Amoli Vad delivered another standout season for Simmons, earning First Team All-NAC honors in singles and doubles. Vad also teamed up with Shutts to post a 9-1 doubles record, including a perfect 3-0 mark against NAC opponents. At the conclusion of the NAC Tournament, Vad was named Tournament Most Valuable Player. The First Team selections mark the second consecutive season Vad has earned All-Conference recognition.
Senior Emma Parsons earned First Team All-NAC honors in doubles after teaming up with Lapointe to earn a perfect 9-0 record. The selection marks the second consecutive season Parsons has earned First Team All-Conference recognition in doubles.
Senior Grace Burke rounded out the Sharks' singles honorees (3-1 NAC), earning Second Team All-NAC recognition for the first All-Conference singles selection of her career. Burke was also named to the NAC Sportsmanship Team.
With back-to-back NAC Championships secured, the Sharks will turn their attention to the NCAA Tournament in May, marking the second consecutive season Simmons will compete on the National stage.
