LSU’s Corley, Xavier’s Perez headline 2020-21 LSWA All-Louisiana Tennis Teams

HAMMOND, La. – LSU senior Paris Corley and Xavier junior Santiago Perez took home the state’s top individual honors on the 2020-21 Louisiana Sports Writers Association College Tennis Teams, which were released by the LSWA on Wednesday.

Corley was named the Louisiana Women’s Tennis Player of the Year, while Perez earned men’s player of the year accolades.
An All-Southeastern Conference performer and a participant in the NCAA Singles Championships, Corley led the Tigers in singles and doubles victories. The Grants, New Mexico native closed her collegiate career with a 19-4 record in singles play, ranking as high as No. 40 in the ITA national singles rankings. In doubles play she teamed with 2019-20 LSWA Player of the Year and fellow senior Taylor Bridges for a 20-6 overall mark.

Corley and Bridges were joined on the first team by the New Orleans duo of junior Lina Hohnhold and sophomore Ank Vullings, as well as Xavier senior Angela Charles-Alfred and ULM senior Madalina Grigoriu.

Hohnhold was selected as the Louisiana Newcomer of the Year after finishing 12-1 in singles play this spring. The Haan, Germany was named Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year and earned first team All-Southland efforts in her first season with the Privateers after transferring from Memphis.

Xavier’s Valentina Largacha was tabbed the Women’s Freshman of the Year. In her debut season, the Cali, Columbia native posted a 12-4 singles mark and a 13-7 doubles mark on the way to earning first team All-Southern States Athletic Conference honors.

Xavier’s Alan Green and New Orleans’ Burzis Kanga shared LSWA Women’s Coach of the Year honors. Green, the SSAC Coach of the Year, led a Xavier team ranked No. 3 in the NAIA national coaches poll after winning the Southern States regular season and tournament titles. Kanga earned Southland Conference Coach of the Year honors after leading UNO to a share of the league regular season title – the program’s first since joining the SLC.

Perez led the way on the men’s side as the state’s top player, finishing 21-6 in singles and 19-6 in doubles play this season. The first team All-Southern States Athletic Conference selection is the No. 3 ranked singles player in the NAIA national rankings.

Perez and senior teammate Shaikh Abdullah were joined on the first team by LSU freshman Ronald Hohmann, UL Lafayette freshman Ivailo Keremedchiev, as well as the New Orleans duo of freshman Max Heinzel and junior Marcel Volz.

Volz was also named the LSWA Newcomer of the Year. In his first season in the Big Easy, the Iffezheim, Germany native was 10-1 in singles play this spring on the way to being named Southland Newcomer of the Year and claiming first team all-conference recognition.

LSU’s Benjamin Ambrosio and Xavier’s Juan Varon shared Men’s Freshman of the Year honors. Ambrosio was 9-6 in singles play this spring, while Varon and teammate Juan Ramirez comprised the No. 6 doubles team nationally at the NAIA level.
Green was tabbed the LSWA Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year after leading Xavier to a 13-10 record and a No. 6 national ranking in NAIA.

The 2020-21 All-Louisiana tennis teams were selected by the state’s sports information directors. SID’s were not permitted to vote for their own institution’s nominees.

2020-21 LSWA All-Louisiana Tennis Teams
Men
First Team
Ronald Hohmann, LSU
Santiago Perez, Xavier
Ivailo Keremedchiev, UL Lafayette
Max Heinzel, New Orleans
Marcel Volz, New Orleans
Shaikh Abdullah, Xavier

Second Team
Rafael Wagner, LSU
Boris Kozlov, LSU
Johannes Klein, New Orleans
Austin Vos, New Orleans
Benjamin Ambrosio, LSU
Nick Watson, LSU

Player of the Year: Santiago Perez, Xavier
Newcomer of the Year: Marcel Volz, New Orleans
Co-Freshmen of the Year: Juan Varon, Xavier; Benjamin Ambrosio, LSU (Shared)
Coach of the Year: Alan Green, Xavier

Women
First Team
Paris Corley, LSU
Lina Hohnhold, New Orleans
Angela Charles-Alfred, Xavier
Ank Vullings, New Orleans
Taylor Bridges, LSU
Madalina Grigoriu, ULM

Second Team
Safiya Carrington, LSU
Putri Insani, Southeastern Louisiana
Floriane Picaut, UL Lafayette
Alexia Romero, Louisiana Tech
Lailaa Bashir, Xavier
Kyra Akinnibi, Xavier

Honorable Mention: Farah Baklouti, Xavier; Nina Geissler, LSU; Emilija Dancetovic, Northwestern State; Samantha Bucykx, LSU; Salma Abdelrahim, New Orleans; Lea Alguacil, New Orleans; Ilana Tetruashvili, Louisiana Tech; Lucy Carpenter, Loyola

Player of the Year: Paris Corley, LSU
Newcomer of the Year: Lina Hohnhold, New Orleans
Freshman of the Year: Valentina Largacha, Xavier
Co-Coaches of the Year: Alan Green, Xavier; Burzis Kanga, New Orleans