SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (Oct. 11) – The Nichols women's tennis team claimed three major Commonwealth Coast Conference awards and numerous all-conference nods following the 2011 regular season, it was announced Tuesday by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. Sophomore Anna Dyakiv was named Player of the Year, while first-year Lindsay Benoit was selected as the Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Paul Brower was tabbed as the Coach of the Year.
 
Voting for the All-CCC team and each of the major awards was conducted among CCC women's tennis coaches.
 
In addition to the major award winners, senior Chelsey Miller, junior Jillian McQuiggan, junior Alexandra Cifone and first year Kelsey Peterson were named to the All-Conference squads.
 
Dyakiv, last season's Rookie and Player of the Year, was unanimously voted to repeat as the conference's top performer while also garnering her second first team singles honor and adds first team doubles to her resume. In 2011, the sophomore posted 6-0 records at the first singles and doubles flights in conference play while sporting a 9-3 singles mark and 9-3 in doubles play. The Amsterdam, N.Y. native teamed with Benoit to win an opening round match at the USTA/ITA New England Regional on September 30th.
 
Benoit picks up the program's third consecutive Rookie of the Year honor. The first-year player also earned first team singles and doubles accolades. In dual match competition, Benoit is 13-0 in singles and 8-2 in doubles and went undefeated in conference play as she went 7-0 in singles and 6-0 when paired with Dyakiv. Her only individual defeat came in a four hour marathon at the USTA/ITA New England Regional.
 
Miller boasted the team's only 8-0 records at both singles and doubles in CCC play as she earned first team doubles and second team singles in 2011 to go along with a pair of honorable mention singles and a first team doubles nod. On the season, the clubs only senior posted a 9-3 singles record and 10-4 in doubles action.
 
McQuiggan joined Miller, her doubles partner, as a first team honoree. In addition to a spotless record in doubles action, the junior went 6-1 in singles while amassing overall records of 8-2 in singles and 10-4 in doubles.
 
Cifone and Peterson were named to the honorable mention doubles team for their 5-3 record in conference play. The duo finished the regular season with a 9-4 mark. Cifone also picked up second team singles hardware as she went 5-3 in the CCC and 8-5 overall.
 
Brower was named Coach of the Year for the first time since 2009. He has guided the women's team to a 21-1 conference record and 36-4 overall over the past two seasons. The 2010-11 campaign included a conference tournament title and an invitation to play in the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history.
 
No. 1 Nichols will face No. 4 Salve Regina on Wednesday, October 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the CCC tournament semifinals.

FIRST TEAM – SINGLES: Lindsay Benoit, Fr.; Anna Dyakiv, So.
SECOND TEAM – SINGLES: Alexandra Cifone, Jr.; Chelsey Miller, Sr.
FIRST TEAM - DOUBLES: Lindsay Benoit / Anna Dyakiv, Fr. / So.; Jillian McQuiggan / Chelsey Miller, Jr. / Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION – DOUBLES: Kelsey Peterson / Alexandra Cifone, Fr. / Jr.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Anna Dyakiv
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Lindsay Benoit
COACH OF THE YEAR: Paul Brower