ITA Regional Awards
SKILLMAN, N.J. - Illinois women's tennis senior Melissa Kopinski has been named the ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award recipient from the Midwest region. The announcement was made by the ITA office on Tuesday, May 12.
Kopinski is the first Fighting Illini player to earn the Midwest Region's ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award since Marisa Lambropoulos in 2011-12 and the third athlete overall to earn the award. Lambropoulos was the last Illinois player to garner a regional honor. Cynthya Goulet took home the honor for the Illini in 2005.
The ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award, which dates back to 1982, recognizes athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
"Sportsmanship and Melissa Kopinski seem to have become synonymous," head coach Michelle Dasso stated. "I'm really excited Melissa received this recognition, as it is well deserved. Melissa has left a positive legacy at the University of Illinois as a student, an athlete and person, and has been an excellent ambassador for collegiate tennis."
In her final campaign, Kopinski put together a 19-13 overall singles record and worked to a 15-7 mark in dual play. The Palos Hills, Illinois, native registered a 19-8 doubles record during the 2014-15 season including a 15-4 mark in dual play with Louise Kwong. The duo won their last six matches at No. 1 doubles, including an upset over No. 39 Alicia Barnett and Erin Larner of Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament.
During the Fighting Illini's seven-match winning streak, Kopinski won the clinching point four times, in the other three matches she was the first off of the singles courts.
On the men's side, Kopinski's twin brother, Tim, brought home the same regional honor as a member of the Illinois men's team, also announced by the ITA today.
