University of North Texas Athletics
Photo by: Mark Woods
Tennis Earns Three All-Conference Honors
5/3/2021 1:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
DALLAS -- The North Texas tennis team earned three all-conference honors on Monday including Lucie Devier being named the league's 2021 Newcomer of the Year. This is the 10th straight year the Mean Green have earned all-conference honors.
In addition to the newcomer of the year award, Devier and her doubles partner Saki Oyama were voted second team all-conference doubles after finishing the year nationally ranked and Oyama was also voted to the league's all-freshman team.Â
"It's great to see the hard work Lucie put in this year be recognized by the coaches in our conference," said UNT head coach Sujay Lama. "She did a phenomenal job of playing at the top of our lineup in singles and doubles. This, however, is just the beginning. She has the talent and the desire to be great for us next year."
This is the second year in a row the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year award has been given to a North Texas newcomer. Last season, Maria Ponomareva took home the award after transferring to Denton from Kansas State and became the first student-athlete in program history to receive it. This season, Devier was the only newcomer in the league to start a majority of the year as her respective team's No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles player in the lineup. Devier won 11 singles matches including a straight set victory over Tulsa's nationally ranked No. 1 player on April 3. Devier was named the C-USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week for her performance against Tulsa.Â
Devier clinched UNT's 4-3 win at UTSA this season and during the fall beat opponents from Texas A&M, Oklahoma state, TCU, Arkansas and Texas.Â
The French junior college transfer won at one point five straight dual singles matches but she also was a strong doubles player alongside her freshman partner Saki Oyama. The duo reached a national ranking this year as high as No. 58. They beat the No. 26 ranked doubles team from Tulsa on April 3 and finished with a winning percentage of .750.
"Saki and Lucie had amazing chemistry right away," said Lama. "Both of them have tremendous instinct for doubles. I truly believe they can be a dominant doubles team next year. They just need more repetition."
Oyama is the first Mean Green freshman to be named to a league's all-freshman team. C-USA added the award this year.Â
Oyama was the only freshman on the team this year. Along with her doubles success with Devier, Oyama won 11 singles matches this year. She beat a Texas A&M opponent, a Texas Tech opponent and her first collegiate win came over a Texas opponent at the TCU Invitational in October. Her fall highlight came when she reached the quarterfinals at the regional championship consolation bracket.
"Saki showed glimpses of how great she can be at times during this season," Lama said. "She can be a force for us if she can develop more consistency and get physically stronger."
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In addition to the newcomer of the year award, Devier and her doubles partner Saki Oyama were voted second team all-conference doubles after finishing the year nationally ranked and Oyama was also voted to the league's all-freshman team.Â
"It's great to see the hard work Lucie put in this year be recognized by the coaches in our conference," said UNT head coach Sujay Lama. "She did a phenomenal job of playing at the top of our lineup in singles and doubles. This, however, is just the beginning. She has the talent and the desire to be great for us next year."
This is the second year in a row the Conference USA Newcomer of the Year award has been given to a North Texas newcomer. Last season, Maria Ponomareva took home the award after transferring to Denton from Kansas State and became the first student-athlete in program history to receive it. This season, Devier was the only newcomer in the league to start a majority of the year as her respective team's No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles player in the lineup. Devier won 11 singles matches including a straight set victory over Tulsa's nationally ranked No. 1 player on April 3. Devier was named the C-USA Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week for her performance against Tulsa.Â
Devier clinched UNT's 4-3 win at UTSA this season and during the fall beat opponents from Texas A&M, Oklahoma state, TCU, Arkansas and Texas.Â
The French junior college transfer won at one point five straight dual singles matches but she also was a strong doubles player alongside her freshman partner Saki Oyama. The duo reached a national ranking this year as high as No. 58. They beat the No. 26 ranked doubles team from Tulsa on April 3 and finished with a winning percentage of .750.
"Saki and Lucie had amazing chemistry right away," said Lama. "Both of them have tremendous instinct for doubles. I truly believe they can be a dominant doubles team next year. They just need more repetition."
Oyama is the first Mean Green freshman to be named to a league's all-freshman team. C-USA added the award this year.Â
Oyama was the only freshman on the team this year. Along with her doubles success with Devier, Oyama won 11 singles matches this year. She beat a Texas A&M opponent, a Texas Tech opponent and her first collegiate win came over a Texas opponent at the TCU Invitational in October. Her fall highlight came when she reached the quarterfinals at the regional championship consolation bracket.
"Saki showed glimpses of how great she can be at times during this season," Lama said. "She can be a force for us if she can develop more consistency and get physically stronger."
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Players Mentioned
Friday, May 15
Monday, May 11
Saturday, April 18
Wednesday, April 15