BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Rebeka Mertena,
Tenika McGiffin and
Elza Tomase each earned All-SEC acclaim in the 2022 women's tennis postseason awards, announced by the conference office Thursday afternoon.
Mertena and McGiffin garnered First Team All-SEC recognition while Tomase was selected as Second Team All-SEC. The three individuals in the postseason awards are the most Tennessee has had since head coach
Alison Ojeda took over the program prior to the 2017 season. It is also the first time since 2012 that the Lady Vols had three All-SEC selections.
"All three of these individuals have developed in different ways during their time at Tennessee and all three are so incredibly deserving for these selections, I am so proud of them," Ojeda said on the honorees. "Tenika went from a freshman who sat in my office asking how become a steady lineup player to playing No. 1 and No. 2 for us in her final year. Rebeka came in as such a good player and has continued to develop, this year she played with a calmness and a fierce competitive style that had her playing at the highest level. Then Elza, though she is just a freshman, she has come a long way in a short amount of time. What has impressed me is that she now knows what it means to compete for every point."
Mertena earns her second career All-SEC nod after making Second Team in 2021. The senior, currently ranked No. 30 in the ITA rankings, posted eight ranked victories in singles and a 23-16 overall record. She found her doubles stride late in the season with
Esther Adeshina, rattling off a career-long six match winning streak and getting two ranked victories, including one over No. 9 Ovunc/Arseneault from Auburn in the SEC tournament.
"One thing Rebeka knows is believing in herself," Ojeda continued. "It doesn't matter who she is up against, she knows that she can win. I am certain that her mindset is what leads to her outstanding abilities on the tennis court."
McGiffin makes her first career appearance on the All-SEC list, just a week after being
named the SEC women's tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year. McGiffin led the team in ranked victories this season with 12, seven coming in singles and five in doubles. The Australia native owns three top-10 victories, one in singles and two in doubles. She bested No. 5 Georgia Drummy in singles and took down the top-ranked and second-ranked doubles pairs with
Daria Kuczer earlier this spring. Prior to the NCAA Tournament, McGiffin holds 17 singles wins and 20 doubles victories this year. She has pushed her career totals to 75 and 74, respectively.
"Tenika is someone I knew I wanted to build our program around when I came back to Tennessee in 2016," Ojeda said. "I knew the character and academic excellence were there, and we knew the potential she had in her tennis. So much credit to her, she is the one who has put the work in to allow her tennis to get to the point it is at today."
Tomase, earning a Second Team All-SEC selection, is the first freshman Lady Vol to make the All-SEC team since Sadie Hammond did so in 2016. Tomase holds the team lead in both singles and doubles victories, tallying 29 in singles and 22 in doubles. The first-year student from Latvia has six ranked wins in singles and two in doubles, playing primarily at the No. 3 spot in dual competition. Tomase also earns her second SEC award in the span of a week as she was
named to the SEC Championship All-Tournament Team on Sunday evening.
"This award shows me that she is ready to devote some time and energy into her overall performance," Ojeda finished. "I believe she will come back this fall a more physically fit and mentally tough tennis player. She is going to be fighting for a Player to Watch award next year."
Mertena, McGiffin, Tomase and the rest of the Tennessee women's tennis team await their postseason destination as the NCAA Selection Show takes place next Monday, May 2, at 6:30 p.m.