University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Mark Woods
Tennis Earns Three All-Conference Awards
6/15/2020 12:05:00 PM | Women's Tennis
DENTON – For a ninth straight year the North Texas tennis team earned all-conference honors.
Sophomore Maria Ponomareva was named the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year and second team all-conference. Additionally, the Mean Green's top doubles team of Hala Khaled Badwy and Alexandra Heczey earned second team all-conference recognition. For the senior Heczey, this was her second straight season earning all-conference doubles honors.
Ponomareva is the first in program history to be named a league's newcomer of the year.
"I didn't expect to get this award," Ponomareva said. "However, I'm so happy to have it because it gives me motivation to work for something bigger. Of course, I couldn't have gotten the award without my team's help. That support they were giving me while playing matches was unbelievable. I'm looking forward to reuniting with them and earn more awards for UNT."
Ponomareva transferred to UNT from Kansas State and led the team with nine dual match singles victories and was a perfect 4-0 against C-USA opponents. In the fall and spring combined, Ponomareva went 14-7 overall in singles and she won seven straight single matches from Jan. 10 through Feb. 4. She won 11 of 13 singles matches from Jan. 10 through Feb. 22.
During this nine year stretch, UNT has had multiple all-conference honors and at least one all-conference doubles team every year.
At No. 1 doubles for UNT, Badwy and Heczey went 7-5 in dual matches and 14-11 in the fall and spring combined. They went 6-1 against Texas regional opponents.
Heczey, who graduated in May, departs North Texas as a two-time Conference USA all-conference recipient. Over the last five years, four Mean Green tennis players have earned multiple all-conference honors in their career: Maria Kononova, Tamuna Kutubidze, Minying Liang and now Heczey.
Support North Texas student-athletes by visiting MeanGreenScholarshipFund.com.
Sophomore Maria Ponomareva was named the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year and second team all-conference. Additionally, the Mean Green's top doubles team of Hala Khaled Badwy and Alexandra Heczey earned second team all-conference recognition. For the senior Heczey, this was her second straight season earning all-conference doubles honors.
Ponomareva is the first in program history to be named a league's newcomer of the year.
"I didn't expect to get this award," Ponomareva said. "However, I'm so happy to have it because it gives me motivation to work for something bigger. Of course, I couldn't have gotten the award without my team's help. That support they were giving me while playing matches was unbelievable. I'm looking forward to reuniting with them and earn more awards for UNT."
Ponomareva transferred to UNT from Kansas State and led the team with nine dual match singles victories and was a perfect 4-0 against C-USA opponents. In the fall and spring combined, Ponomareva went 14-7 overall in singles and she won seven straight single matches from Jan. 10 through Feb. 4. She won 11 of 13 singles matches from Jan. 10 through Feb. 22.
During this nine year stretch, UNT has had multiple all-conference honors and at least one all-conference doubles team every year.
At No. 1 doubles for UNT, Badwy and Heczey went 7-5 in dual matches and 14-11 in the fall and spring combined. They went 6-1 against Texas regional opponents.
Heczey, who graduated in May, departs North Texas as a two-time Conference USA all-conference recipient. Over the last five years, four Mean Green tennis players have earned multiple all-conference honors in their career: Maria Kononova, Tamuna Kutubidze, Minying Liang and now Heczey.
Support North Texas student-athletes by visiting MeanGreenScholarshipFund.com.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
/ Women's Tennis
Friday, May 15
Monday, May 11
Saturday, April 18
Wednesday, April 15