NAU's Dittmann Sweeps #BigSkyTennis Individual Awards; Women's All-Conference Team Revealed
FARMINGTON, Utah (May 7, 2021) – The 2021 Big Sky Women’s Tennis All-Conference Team was announced Friday afternoon with Northern Arizona freshman Gina Dittmann earning Big Sky MVP and Freshman of the Year honors to headline a group of 26 All-Big Sky honorees. The all-conference awards are voted on by the league’s head coaches who could not vote for their own players.
Dittmann led Northern Arizona to a South Division title and its third NCAA Tournament appearance after capturing its second-straight Big Sky Championship last weekend.
The freshman from Essen, Germany posted a 15-1 record, including 14-1 at No. 1 singles, with 14 of her wins coming in straight sets. Dittmann’s perfect 3-0 mark against Big Sky opponents earned her a spot on the All-Big Sky First Team while collecting both MVP and Freshman of the Year honors. She is the first Big Sky women’s tennis player to garner both individual awards since the freshman of the year honor was first handed out in 2017.
Joining Dittmann on the All-Big Sky First Team were teammates Mimi Bland and Ellie Millard, Eastern Washington’s Jennifer Kida, Montana’s Julia Ronney, and Portland State’s Capu Sanoner.
Alongside Dittmann, Bland and Millard helped lead the Lumberjacks to back-to-back Big Sky Championship titles and NCAA Tournament appearances.
Bland compiled a 14-3 overall mark and went undefeated in conference action 3-0 playing primarily at No. 3 singles to earn first team honors.
Millard went 11-5 overall and 3-0 in league play this season to give Northern Arizona three All-Big Sky First Team selections. This marks the first time that NAU has placed three women’s tennis players on the first team since 2008.
Playing at courts one and two, Kida capped off her first collegiate campaign with a 9-4 record and 3-1 mark in Big Sky play.
A San Diego, Calif. native, Ronney recorded a 9-3 mark and 3-1 conference record to appear on the first team for the second-straight season. She earned an impressive upset victory over Gonzaga’s Kate Ketels at the top spot in straight sets and collected three Big Sky Women’s Tennis Player of the Week honors this season.
Sanoner was the third freshman to earn All-Big Sky First Team honors joining Dittmann and Kida. The Marcq-en-Barœul, France native posted a 10-5 overall record and perfect 4-0 mark in conference action on courts one and two.
Dittmann, Bland, Kida, and Ronney were unanimous first team honorees.
For the third-straight season, Millard garnered All-Big Sky First Team Doubles accolades as she teamed up with Bland this season. The NAU duo put together a 9-8 mark and 2-1 league record at the top spot for the Lumberjacks.
Sanoner teamed up with fellow freshman Makoto Ohara to be named All-Big Sky First Team honorees. The duo went 11-4 and recorded an undefeated 4-0 mark in league action playing on court one.
Rounding out the first team doubles honorees were Idaho State’s Lola O’Lideadha and Sol O’Lideadha. The freshman sisters from Dublin, Ireland joined together to post an 11-3 overall record and perfect 3-0 mark against Big Sky opponents.
The All-Big Sky Second Team consisted of Montana State’s Laura Mary, Montana’s Maria Goheen, Sacramento State’s Jayden Nielsen, Idaho’s Katherine Jhang, Northern Arizona’s Ava Neyestani, and Portland State’s Emily Rees.
Earning honorable mention accolades were Idaho State’s L. O’Lideadha and Hana Cho, Eastern Washington’s Renata Gabuzyan, and Weber State’s Sicely Ferreira.
Second team doubles honors went to Rees and Lotti Meszaros, Ferreira and Megan Davies, and Ronney and Olivia Oosterbaan.
Dittmann and Elinor Beazley, Eastern Washington’s Scout Mathews and Louise Waite, and Portland State’s Ashley Ramirez and Gerda Upeniece were named honorable mention doubles.
Follow the Big Sky Conference on social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat at @BigSkyConf – and use the hashtag #ExperienceElevated.
| 2021 Big Sky Women's Tennis All-Conference Team |
| FIRST TEAM SINGLES |
| Name |
School |
Class |
| *Jennifer Kida |
Eastern Washington |
Freshman |
| *^Julia Ronney |
Montana |
Senior |
| *Gina Dittmann |
Northern Arizona |
Freshman |
| *Mimi Bland |
Northern Arizona |
Sophomore |
| Capu Sanoner |
Portland State |
Freshman |
| Ellie Millard |
Northern Arizona |
Senior |
| * - Unanimous All-Big Sky First Team Singles |
| ^ - Two-time All-Big Sky First Team Singles |
| SECOND TEAM SINGLES |
| Name |
School |
Class |
| Laura Mary |
Montana State |
Senior |
| Maria Goheen |
Montana |
Sophomore |
| Jayden Nielsen |
Sacramento State |
Sophomore |
| Katherine Jhang |
Idaho |
Freshman |
| Ava Neyestani |
Northern Arizona |
Freshman |
| Emily Rees |
Portland State |
Junior |
| HONORABLE MENTION SINGLES |
| Name |
School |
Class |
| Lola O’Lideadha |
Idaho State |
Freshman |
| Renata Gabuzyan |
Eastern Washington |
Sophomore |
| Sicely Ferreira |
Weber State |
Freshman |
| Hana Cho |
Idaho State |
Freshman |
| FIRST TEAM DOUBLES |
| Name |
School |
Class |
Capu Sanoner
Makoto Ohara |
Portland State |
Freshman
Freshman |
Lola O’Lideadha
Sol O’Lideadha |
Idaho State |
Freshman
Freshman |
Mimi Bland
%Ellie Millard |
Northern Arizona |
Sophomore
Senior |
| % - Three-time All-Big Sky First Team Doubles |
| SECOND TEAM DOUBLES |
| Name |
School |
Class |
Lotti Meszaros
Emily Rees |
Portland State |
Senior
Junior |
Sicely Ferreira
Megan Davies |
Weber State |
Freshman
Freshman |
Olivia Oosterbaan
Julia Ronney |
Montana |
Sophomore
Senior |
| HONORABLE MENTION DOUBLES |
| Name |
School |
Class |
Scout Mathews
Louise Waite |
Eastern Washington |
Freshman
Junior |
Gina Dittmann
Elinor Beazley |
Northern Arizona |
Freshman
Sophomore |
Ashley Ramirez
Gerda Upeniece |
Portland State |
Grad. Student
Senior |
2019 Big Sky Individual Award Winners
Big Sky MVP – Gina Dittmann, Northern Arizona
Big Sky Freshman of the Year – Gina Dittmann, Northern Arizona