Lynchburg's Harris Headlines All-ODAC Women's Tennis Awards

FOREST, Va. --- University of Lynchburg standout Christina Harris took home ODAC Player of the Year honors in a vote of the conference coaches to headline the 2019 All-ODAC Women's Tennis Awards. Washington and Lee University, which placed a league-high seven players on the all-conference lists, earned the remaining three major individual honors. Erin Ness earned ODAC Coach of the Year laurels for a second straight season, while first-year Georgia Wright collected ODAC Rookie of the Year accolades. Generals' senior Mary Hampton McNeal received ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete recognition from the conference's sports information directors.

ODAC fans got to know plenty of new starts in 2019 with just eight players repeating as All-ODAC honorees. That chart starts with Harris, who earned her third straight selection to the All-ODAC First Team at No. 1 singles. Randolph College's Ashley Schmitz (No. 2), Randolph-Macon College's Landon Aud (No. 4), and W&L's McNeal (No. 3) each moved up from the All-ODAC Second Team singles ranks.

Randolph's Keyu Jin earned a spot on the second team at No. 1 singles for a second time, while Roanoke College's Carolyn Kitsock earned her second straight singles all-league nod at second team No. 2 singles.

No doubles team earned a repeat honor as a whole, but three parts of tandems earned a repeat honor. R-MC's Stephanie Yeager and Kristin Dantzler appear on the second team at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles, respectively. Both were first teamers in 2018. The same is true of Jin, who earned a second team selection at No. 1 doubles this year.

RELATED: 2018 All-ODAC Awards | All-Time All-ODAC

Harris, a junior from Falls Church, Va., has put together a stellar first three seasons at Lynchburg. She is currently the 16th-rated player on the ITA Atlantic South Region singles list. Harris sprinted thru ODAC play with a perferct 9-0 record at No. 1 singles, helping the Hornets to an 11-1 league mark and the #2 seed in the conference tournament. The Hornets played in the championship for the first time since the ODAC moved to a head-to-head team format in 2007. Harris' conference success continued in doubles as she went 10-2 with all partners at the top flight, including 7-2 with Caroline Guill. Overall, Harris is 14-1 on the season in dual match singles play, all coming from the #1 position. She and Guill are 12-3 in doubles action, with Harris posting a 15-3 mark with all partners.

Wright, a first-year from Austin, Texas, adds this honor to All-ODAC First Team nods at No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles with Taylor Garcia. Wright went 6-0 against conference opponents in singles action, including a 4-0 mark at from the second flight. She and Garcia posted a 7-0 mark in league doubles matches, all from the top flight. Overall, Wright is 12-7 in singles matches as she has competed at each of the top-three ladder positions. She and Wright are 12-5 overall including 8-4 at No. 1 doubles. The duo are currently ranked 10th on the ITA Atlantic South Region doubles chart.

Ness is in her seventh season guiding the Generals women's tennis program. This marks her fifth ODAC top coaching honor combining with the awards she took home in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. Her Generals secured their 17th straight and 29th overall ODAC women's tennis title after running thru the league slate unbeaten at 12-0 and posting an 16-7 overall record in dual matches leading up to the NCAA Tournament. Ness currently owns a 136-43 (.760) overall record. The Generals are currently ranked 23rd in the ITA Top-40 Poll and fifth in the ITA Atlantic South Region survey.

McNeal, a senior from Beaufort, S.C., shines on and off the court. McNeal maintains a 3.944 grade point average as an accounting and business administration major. She is a perennial member of the All-ODAC Academic Team as well as earning recognition as a W&L Scholar-Athlete. She has also received ITA Scholar-Athlete distinction. On the court, McNeal pairs this honor with a selection to the All-ODAC First Team at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles with partner Anna Kreynin. McNeal went 8-0 in ODAC singles matches, picking up wins at four different flights. She and Kreynin were 8-0 in doubles play with seven of those wins coming from the #2 position. Overall, McNeal is 14-6 in singles action between dual match and invitational play. She and Kreynin are 15-2 in doubles matches powered by an 8-0 mark at No. 2.

For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter on Instagram.

2019 ALL-ODAC WOMEN'S TENNIS AWARDS
ODAC Player of the Year: Christina Harris | Jr. | University of Lynchburg
ODAC Coach of the Year: Erin Ness, Washington and Lee University
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Georgia Wright | Fy. | Washington and Lee University
ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Mary Hampton McNeal | Sr. | Washington and Lee University