W&L's Ness, VWC's Lee, R-MC's Sportelli Receive Individual Honors

FOREST, Va. --- For the fourth time in as many seasons, Washington and Lee University standout Sonja Meighan highlights the All-ODAC Women's Tennis Awards as the ODAC Player of the Year.  Generals' mentor Erin Ness earned ODAC Coach of the Year honors, while Virginia Wesleyan College's Jackie Lee was tabbed the ODAC Rookie of the Year.  Randolph-Macon College's Angelina Sportelli picked up ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete accolades.

Meighan, a senior from McLean, Va., is the first Washington and Lee athlete and one of just five ODAC athletes all-time to earn four ODAC Player of the Year honors, a list that includes a pair of from men's tennis (Buzz Frey, LC, 1981-84; William Moss, HSC, 2007-10).  Meighan is currently the third-ranked singles player in the Atlantic South Region, as reported by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).  She and doubles partner Patricia Kirkland top the charts in the region.  Meighan owns a 10-5 overall singles record, all from the #1 position.  She was also 4-0 against ODAC competition in addition to winning her singles match in the ODAC championship against Roanoke College.  Meighan will join the Generals in the NCAA Division III Team Tournament, but will also compete in the individual tournament and with Kirkland in the doubles bracket.  The duo is 20-1 this season, including 15-1 in dual matches.

Ness, in her third season guiding the W&L women's tennis program, enjoys her second straight ODAC top coaching honor.  She led the Generals to their 13th consecutive and 25th overall ODAC title.  Washington and Lee is currently second in the Atlantic South Region and fourth nationally, ranking behind Williams College, Emory University and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps.  Ness owns a 60-15 (.800) record, including a 23-4 mark entering this year's NCAA Tournament.

Lee, a freshman from Virginia Beach, Va., put together a strong first campaign at VWC, posting an 8-4 overall singles record.  That mark included a 6-3 showing in league competition.  She was 3-3 overall at the #2 singles flight, but suffered just one defeat from the third position, going 5-1.  She and doubles partner Mia Proctor posted a 5-6 overall record, with all 11 matches coming at the top flight.

Sportelli, a senior from Mechanicsville, Va., starred both on and off the court for Randolph-Macon.  In the classroom, Sportelli boasts a 4.07 grade point average as an Economics and Business double major with a minor in Accounting.  A multi-honoree on the All-ODAC Academic Team, she is a perennial member of the Randolph-Macon Dean's List, as well as a member of R-MC's chapters of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics).  She is a VaSID Academic All-State honoree, and earned recognition as an ITA All-Academic standout.  On the court, Sportelli posted a 10-5 singles record from the top flight.  That included a 6-5 mark against league competition.  She and doubles partner Kelsie Grice went 14-3 overall and 8-3 in the ODAC on the way to All-ODAC Second Team honors.

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 the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.

2015 ALL-ODAC WOMEN'S TENNIS AWARDS
ODAC Player of the Year: Sonja Meighan, Sr., Washington and Lee
ODAC Coach of the Year: Erin Ness, Washington and Lee
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Jackie Lee, Fr., Virginia Wesleyan
ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Angelina Sportelli, Sr., Randolph-Macon