Emma Navarro named ACC Freshman of the Year

Posted on Thursday, Apr. 29, 2021, 4:26 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Virginia’s Emma Navarro has been named the ACC Women’s Tennis Freshman of the Year in honors announced Thursday.

Additionally, Navarro (Charleston, S.C.) and sophomore Natasha Subhash (Fairfax, Va.) were both named to the All-ACC First Team while senior Rosie Johanson (Vancouver, Canada) earned third team honors.

Navarro opened her collegiate career with 14-consecutive victories on the top court and heads into the post season with a 17-1 record. Navarro became the third player in program history to earn a No. 1 ITA singles ranking when she moved up to the top position on April 13. She currently ranks third. She was named the ACC Freshman of the Week six times this season and ACC Player of the Week twice. Her only loss in singles this season was when she was edged in three sets by reigning NCAA Singles Champion Estella Perez-Somerriba of Miami. Navarro is also ranked in the top-25 in doubles, partnering with Johanson.

Navarro is the second player in program history to be named the ACC Freshman of the Year joining Julia Elbaba (2013).

Subhash has moved up to a career-best No. 8 ITA singles ranking with a 15-5 overall record this season. Subhash went 11-2 in conference play, including picking up a top-10 victory against Cameron Morra of North Carolina. Subhash has also been ranked as high as No. 17 in the ITA doubles rankings. This is the first time Subhash has been named to the All-ACC team as the conference did not announce postseason honors last season. Subhash was the 2020 ITA National Rookie of the Year and an All-American in singles as national honors were awarded during the pandemic-shortened season.

Johanson heads into the NCAA Tournament riding a 12-match win streak in singles. She is 16-2 in dual matches this season with a 12-1 record in conference play. Johanson is ranked in the top-25 in doubles, playing at the No. 1 position with Emma Navarro. This is the third All-ACC honor of Johanson’s career.

Playing in the top three slots of UVA’s singles lineup, Navarro, Subhash and Johanson went a combined 49-7 in dual matches and helped propel Virginia to a semifinal finish at the ACC Championship.

The No. 11 Cavaliers will learn their postseason fate on Monday, May 3 when the 2021 NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship Selection Show streams live on NCAA.com at 6 p.m.