NEW YORK – Columbia women's tennis sophomore
Gayathri Krishnan was named the Ivy League player of the Year as announced by the conference office on Thursday afternoon. In total, the Lions had four athletes earn all-conference honors.
"Gayathri's 5-0 Ivy League singles record at the No. 1 and No. 2 position as well as her spring dual match singles record of 16-3 are a testament to how much she committed to consistently competing at the highest level she is capable of, something we reiterate throughout the season with our team," head coach
Ilene Weintraub '02CC said. "It is terrific that she has been recognized with the highest award one can earn in our league."
Krishnan becomes just the third player in Columbia history to be named player of the year, joining Kanika Vaidya (2016) and Nicole Bartnik (2012, '13). Krishnan earns first team honors for the first time in her young career after going 25-10 in singles play. Playing primarily in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots she went 16-3 in the spring and was 5-0 in Ivy League play.
She earns second team honors in doubles play for the second time in her career. This season, she went 17-12 in doubles, when playing with her primary partner
Sophia Strugnell she went 17-9.
Strugnell also earned second team honors in doubles play, going 18-13 on the year. Playing with Krishnan they went 3-1 in Ivy League action.
First-year player
Malak El Allami teamed up with senior
Fatima Keita to earn first team honors in doubles play. The duo, combined with Krishan and Strugnell were a large reason for the Lions success in doubles play, earning the doubles point in 16 of their 22 matches this season.
"I am very proud of our doubles teams as they won six out of seven doubles points in Ivy League matches this season," Weintraub added.
El Allami went 18-7 overall in doubles play, 16-6 with Keita. The duo went 3-0 in Ivy League.
Keita earns first team honors for the first time in her career in doubles play. She went 19-8 overall. In Ivy League play she went 6-1. Keita also earned Ivy League Honorable Mention honors in singles play. In her final season playing for the Lions, she recorded eight wins in singles play – two in conference action.
The Lions await their postseason fate on Monday when the NCAA announces the tennis championship field on the selection show. The show will air at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
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