UNK Athletics
Peter Yazvac, Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations
UNK’s Fidan Ibrahimova. Photo courtesy UNK Sports Info.
KEARNEY – Nebraska-Kearney sophomore Fidan Ibrahimova has been named the 2020 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region “Player to Watch.”
Despite the shortened season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ITA still handed out its annual player accolades. The Division II Awards include: Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship, ITA Rookie of the Year, ITA Player to Watch, ITA Most Improved Senior, ITA Senior Player of the Year, and ITA Community Service Award. The national winners for each award will be announced next Tuesday, May 26,, at 10 a.m. Central during a special virtual awards ceremony. That can be viewed on the ITA’s Twitter, Facebook, and Youtube channel.
Ibrahimova (Lincoln S.E.) went 8-2 in singles and 6-4 in doubles during the dual season. Helping UNK post an 8-2 record, she primarily was at number three and four singles and partnered with freshman Trang Tran (Germany) at number one doubles. Ibrahimova ended the shortened season winning her final seven single matches and last two doubles contests.
Central Regional Award Winners
- Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship: Rylie Cox Evans, Harding University
- ITA Rookie of the Year: Vera Alenicheva, Northwest Missouri State University
- ITA Player to Watch: Fidan Ibrahimova, University of Nebraska Kearney
- ITA Most Improved Senior: Tatjana Stoll, Northeastern State University
- ITA Senior Player of the Year: Kim Moosbacher, Oklahoma Baptist University
- ITA Community Service Award: Arkansas Tech University