UVA’s Subhash named National Rookie of the Year

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Posted on Tuesday, May. 26, 2020, 5:24 pm

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Courtesy UVA Media Relations

Natasha Subhash, a freshman on the Virginia women’s tennis team, has been named the ITA National Rookie of the Year it was announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association on Monday with the release of its national award winners.

Subhash (Fairfax, Va.), who was named the ITA Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year last week, was one of 12 women’s players to receive the award on a regional level and make up the pool eligible for the national award. The national winners were selected from the regional winners by the national awards committee for each division.

Subhash is the second Virginia player to earn the ITA National Rookie of the Year distinction. She joins five-time All-American Julia Elbaba in receiving the honor. Elbaba was named the ITA National Rookie of the Year in 2013 and earned All-America honors in singles four times and doubles once.

This season, Subhash posted a 26-6 record on the way to a season-high ranking of No. 10 nationally. She posted wins over 15 nationally-ranked players with 20 matches against nationally-ranked foes in her 32 matches as she played at the top of the lineup for the Cavaliers this season.

Natasha Subhash (Photo: UVA Athletics)

Included in her wins over nationally-ranked foes were victories over then No. 5 Alexa Graham of North Carolina, then No. 7 Sara Daavettila of North Carolina and then No. 16 Alana Smith of NC State. Her win over Smith clinched the dual-match victory for the Cavaliers at third-ranked NC State. It was the first win over a top-five team for Virginia since the 2016 season and only the fifth over a top-five team in program history.

Subhash also claimed the ITA Atlantic Region Championship in singles. She advanced to the semifinals of the Oracle/ITA Masters tournament and the second round of the main draw at the ITA All-American Championships.

2020 ITA WOMEN’S NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS

  • Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship – Meible Chi, Duke University
  • ITA Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award – Jordan Strickland, Western Carolina University
  • ITA Player to Watch – Elysia Bolton, UCLA
  • ITA Rookie of the Year – Natasha Subhash, University of Virginia
  • ITA Most Improved Senior – Katarina Kozarov, Furman
  • ITA Senior Player of the Year – Ashley Lahey, Pepperdine