HUDSONVILLE, Mich. -- At the conclusion of the 2023 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) women's tennis regular season, head coaches from eight of the MIAA's member institutions that sponsor women's tennis voted on All-MIAA awards.
Kalamazoo College senior Renee Torres was voted the 2023 MIAA Most Valuable Player after leading the Hornets to their first conference championship since 2007 with an unblemished record of 7-0. Torres went 6-1 in conference matches at No. 1 singles and 6-1 at No. 1 doubles with partner Sophie Zhuang. She became a two-time All-MIAA honoree this season with a spot on the First Team. Torres is the first Kalamazoo player since 2016 to receive MVP status.
Jesse Hepner, a senior at Albion College, received the Sue Little Award. This honor is given in memory of Sue Little, a 1954 graduate of Albion College and conference singles champion. The winner of this award is selected by the tennis players as best exemplifying courtesy and sportsmanship both on and off the courts. Albion head coach Kacie Miller commented, "Jesse was nominated by her teammates because of her strong work ethic and natural tendency to lead by example. She is a friend to everyone both on and off the court, and is always encouraging of others. Jesse has consistently exhibited exceptional sportsmanship, making her an outstanding role model for other athletes. We are so proud of her and excited for her to receive the Sue Little Sportsmanship Award in recognition of not only her athletic abilities, but also her remarkable character!"
Kalamazoo senior captain Sophie Zhuang was selected as the recipient of the 2023 Karen Caine Award. This scholar-athlete honor is named after Karen Caine, former long-term women's tennis coach at Adrian College. As a Biochemistry major with a minor in Psychology and a neuroscience concentration, Zhuang boasts a grade-point average of 3.66. She has a 19-2 MIAA singles record and a 15-7 MIAA doubles record. Zhuang has managed to juggle an intense curriculum while being a senior captain, SAAC President, and a teacher's assistant. Her leadership throughout this season has been immeasurable. Her head coach, Mark Murphy, states that "Sophie is a great tennis player, but her superpower is her ability to lift up her teammates and she loves to compete ... She competes with integrity and class." Zhuang has won a two-year post baccalaureate doing lung cancer research at the National Institute of Health. Afterwards, she plans on attending medical school.
Zhuang concludes her collegiate career as a three-time All-MIAA honoree. Six players are receiving all-conference accolades for the second time in their careers: Adrian's Jules Johnson, Hope's Sullivan Moran and Annika Weeber, Kalamazoo's Torres, and Saint Mary's Lucy Chamberlin and Alayna Campbell.
Most Valuable Player
Renee Torres, Kalamazoo
Sue Little Award
Jesse Hepner, Albion
Karen Caine Award
Sophie Zhuang, Kalamazoo
2023 Women's Tennis All-MIAA First Team
2023 Women's Tennis All-MIAA Second Team
(#) Number of multi-time All-MIAA (First Team and Second Team)
