Fusinato, Novotna earn All-ACC recognition

Francesca Fusinato and Natalie Novotna both landed on the All-ACC Third Team list

April 27, 2017

BLACKSBURG – Senior Francesca Fusinato and freshman Natalie Novotna of the Virginia Tech women’s tennis team were honored with 2017 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) awards, as selected by the league’s coaches on Thursday. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes.

Fusinato, a four-time All-ACC honoree, was named to the All-ACC Third Team list for the second time in her career. Of note, Fusinato was listed as a second-team member her sophomore year and a first-team member her junior year. Novotna also landed on the third-team list, receiving All-ACC recognition for the first time in her young career.

A native of Feltre Belluno, Italy, Fusinato completed her senior season with a 16-8 dual-match singles record. She has topped a total of seven ranked opponents, including three inside the top 50, and has won three of her last four matches at the No. 1 singles slot. Fusinato concluded ACC play with an 8-5 singles record and has not lost a three-set match all year.

Fusinato is currently ranked inside both the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) singles and doubles poll. She is a part of the No. 69 doubles tandem in the nation, playing primarily at the No. 1 slot with teammate Caroline Daxhelet. The Hokie duo has upset two top-35 opponents since paring up together midway through the season. She also ranks No. 111 in singles.

A native of Vysoka nad Labem, Czech Republic, Novotna ended her freshman campaign with a team best 18-5 dual-match singles record. She started the spring season rotating between courts, but settled in at court No. 2 midway through the year, totaling a 9-5 singles record in ACC action. She has topped a total of three ranked opponents and has won five of her last six matches at the No. 2 singles slot. She also showed a 6-0 singles record on court three and a 3-0 singles mark on court four.

Novotna is currently ranked inside the ITA singles poll, checking in at No. 101.

Georgia Tech’s Rodney Harmon was voted the conference’s Coach of the Year. North Carolina’s Hayley Carter was named the ACC Player of the Year, and North Carolina’s Sara Daavettila was tabbed as the league’s Freshman of the Year.

While Tech (11-13, 4-10 ACC) has been eliminated from the ACC Tournament, its NCAA hopes are still alive thanks to a strong schedule of competition. The NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Selection Show will air on Tuesday, May 2 at 5:30 p.m. The NCAA Singles Championships bracket will be announced with a press release from the NCAA on Wednesday, May 3.

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