FREDERICKSBURG, Va. - Christopher Newport sophomore Johanna Ranta-aho was selected as the CAC Player of the Year to lead the 2018 All-CAC Women's Tennis team. Mary Washington freshman Rachel Cooper and Salisbury freshman Sydney Soto shared Rookie of the Year honors, while Mary Washington head coach Patrick Catullo was tabbed as the CAC Coach of the Year for the 13th straight season.
Ranta-aho becomes the first-ever CNU player to collect the CAC's top award as Player of the Year, breaking a string of 14-straight seasons in which a Mary Washington player won the award. Playing at No. 1 singles, Ranta-aho put together an 18-4 overall singles mark that included a 15-3 record in dual matches and 7-0 in CAC play. She will carry a 14-match winning streak into the NCAA Singles Championships later this month. Playing mostly at No. 2 doubles, she collected a 13-6 record. Ranta-aho was named a first-team All-CAC singles pick for the second year in a row and also earned second-team doubles accolades for the second straight season.
UMW's Cooper, who played primarily at the No. 6 singles for the Eagles, compiled a 13-8 overall record including an 11-4 mark in dual matches en route to Co-Rookie of the Year accolades. She also went 4-0 against CAC opponents. Cooper is the 12th Eagle to win CAC Rookie of the Year and first since 2012. She was also a second-team All-CAC singles pick at the No. 6 slot.
Salisbury's Soto was named Co-Rookie of the Year after going 13-5 in singles play throughout the season, mostly at the No. 4 position. She went 6-1 in CAC singles matches and also went 14-6 in doubles play. She is the fifth Sea Gull to secure CAC Rookie of the Year honors.
Catullo, who guided the Eagles to their 15th consecutive CAC title and a trip to the NCAA third round, was selected by his peers as the CAC Coach of the Year for the 13th straight season. The Eagles finished the year at 20-5, marking their second straight 20-win campaign and third in the last five years.
UMW led the 2018 All-CAC team with all six singles players and three doubles tandems receiving all-conference awards. Senior Kait Brogan, the 2016 and 2017 CAC Player of the Year, was named first-team All-CAC in singles and doubles for the fourth straight season, finishing her career as one of the most decorated players in conference history. Sophomore No. 2 singles player Rachel Summers and senior No. 3 Hannah Jabusch also secured first-team singles awards for UMW. Summers was a repeat first-teamer, while Jabusch was a second-team pick in 2017.
Senior Caroline Mosberg (No. 4), junior Danielle Mirabella (No. 5) and Cooper (No. 6) each claimed All-CAC second team singles honors. Mosberg was named an All-CAC performer for the fourth straight season, while Mirabella nabbed second-team recognition for the second straight season.
In doubles, Brogan was joined by senior partner Ashley Barrow on the All-CAC first team, while Mosberg and Summers also picked up first-team doubles awards. Mirabella and senior Brittany McBride were second-team doubles honorees for the Eagles.
Along with Ranta-aho, CNU seniors Kate Huck, Alexandra Drye, and McKinney Harwood received all-conference recognition. Huck earned her third-straight All-CAC second-team nods in both singles and doubles. Drye and Harwood were selected to the doubles second team, earning All-CAC doubles awards for the third straight year.
Salisbury sophomore No. 1 Annika Kezman was chosen to the All-CAC first team in both singles and doubles, while fellow sophomore Julia Kwedi was a second-team pick in singles and a first-teamer in doubles. Both Kezman and Kwedi were repeat All-CAC singles honorees.
York senior No. 1 singles player Katie Wagner represented the Spartans on the All-CAC first team. It marked the second career all-conference honor for Wagner, who was a second-team pick in 2017.
St. Mary's senior No. 1 singles player Melissa Barall nabbed second team All-CAC accolades, earning the lone all-star spot for the Seahawks. Barall was also a second-teamer and the conference Rookie of the Year in 2015.
2018 CAC Player of the Year: Johanna Ranta-aho, Christopher Newport
2018 CAC Co-Rookie of the Year: Rachel Cooper, Mary Washington
2018 CAC Co-Rookie of the Year: Sydney Soto, Salisbury
2018 CAC Coach of the Year: Patrick Catullo, Mary Washington (13th-straight year)
First Team Singles
NAME | YR. | POS. | TEAM | HOMETOWN/HS | PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
Kait Brogan | Sr. | 1st | Mary Washington | Virginia Beach, Va. / Frank W. Cox | 1st & POY in '17, 1st & POY in '16, 1st in '15 |
Hannah Jabusch | Sr. | 3rd | Mary Washington | Cary, N.C. / Cary | 2nd in '17 |
Annika Kezman | So. | 1st | Salisbury | Virginia Beach, Va. / Bishop Sullivan Catholic | 1st in '17 |
Johanna Ranta-aho | So. | 1st | Christopher Newport | Helsinki, Finland / Pohjois-Haagan yhteiskoulu | 1st & ROY in '17 |
Rachel Summers | So. | 2nd | Mary Washington | Arlington, Va. / James River | 1st in '17 |
Katie Wagner | Sr. | 1st | York | Glen Rock, Pa. / Susquehannock | 2nd in '17 |
Second Team Singles
NAME | YR. | POS. | TEAM | HOMETOWN/HS | PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
Melissa Barall | Sr. | 1st | St. Mary's | Columbia, Md. / Wilde Lake | 2nd & ROY in '15 |
Julia Kwedi | So. | 2nd | Salisbury | Upper Marlboro, Md. / Homeschooled | 2nd in '17 |
Kate Huck | Sr. | 3rd | Christopher Newport | Huntington, W. Va. / Huntington | 2nd in '17, 2nd in '15 |
Caroline Mosberg | Sr. | 4th | Mary Washington | Glen Allen, Va. / Deep Run | 2nd in '17, 1st in '16, 1st in '15 |
Danielle Mirabella | Jr. | 5th | Mary Washington | Wantagh, N.Y. / Wantagh | 2nd in '17 |
Rachel Cooper | Fr. | 6th | Mary Washington | Thomasville, Ga. / Brookwood |
First Team Doubles
NAME | YR. | POS. | TEAM | HOMETOWN/HS | PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
Kait Brogan | Sr. | 1st | Mary Washington | Virginia Beach, Va. / Frank W. Cox | 1st in '17, 1st in '16, 1st in '15 |
Ashley Barrow | Sr. | 1st | Mary Washington | Alexandria, Va. / Mount Vernon | 1st in '17 |
Annika Kezman | So. | 1st | Salisbury | Virginia Beach, Va. / Bishop Sullivan Catholic | |
Julia Kwedi | So. | 1st | Salisbury | Upper Marlboro, Md. / Homeschooled | |
Caroline Mosberg | Sr. | 2nd | Mary Washington | Glen Allen, Va. / Deep Run | 2nd in '17, 1st in '16, 1st in '15 |
Rachel Summers | So. | 2nd | Mary Washington | Arlington, Va. / James River | 1st in '17 |
Second Team Doubles
NAME | YR. | POS. | TEAM | HOMETOWN/HS | PREVIOUS ALL-CAC HONORS |
Alexandra Drye | Sr. | 1st | Christopher Newport | Salisbury, N.C. / Salisbury | 1st in '17, 2nd in '16 |
McKinney Harwood | Sr. | 1st | Christoopher Newport | Omaha, Neb. / Westside | 1st in '17, 2nd in '16 |
Kate Huck | Sr. | 2nd | Christopher Newport | Huntington, W. Va. / Huntington | 2nd in '17, 2nd in '16 |
Johanna Ranta-aho | So. | 2nd | Christopher Newport | Helsinki, Finland / Pohjois-Haagan yhteiskoulu | 2nd in '17 |
Brittany McBride | Sr. | 3rd | Mary Washington | Meadville, Pa. / Mercyhurst Prep | |
Danielle Mirabella | Jr. | 3rd | Mary Washington | Wantagh, N.Y. / Wantagh | 2nd in '17 |