The College of Staten Island women's tennis team is riding a season for the ages, and while they await a back-to-back trip to the CUNYAC Final on Saturday, the team was rewarded with a total of five first and second team All-Star nods by the City University of New York Athletic Conference, it was announced today.

Four of the five citations issued by the CUNYAC marked multiple wins for CSI's quintet.  the most decorated of the bunch is first-teamer Ilona Stoyko, who posted a 7-4 overall and 5-1 CUNYAC singles mark this year, all at either the No. 1 or No. 2 position this year.  The scholar-athlete senior boasts an 11-4 doubles mark as well, an obvious strength in the CSI lineup.

Stoyko was joined by first-teamers junior Jean Baak and sophomore Sabrina Bragerton-Nasert.  Consistently at No. 3, Bragerton-Nasert followed up a terrific freshman campaign with a 14-3 in singles this season (7-0 in CUNY).  The run includes a personal 10-match win streak in singles, the longest on the team.  Bragerton-Nasert boasts an identical 14-3 record in doubles as well.  Baak, playing consistently at No. 4, finished 6-1 in CUNY matches, next to an overall 11-3 record; she is also 11-4 in doubles, including a 10-0 mark in the second and third doubles flights this season.

Not to be outdone, CSI took home a pair of second-team honors as well.  Reigning CUNYAC Rookie of the Year Madiha Mulla earned on, boasting a sensational 13-2 overall mark this year in singles and doubles.  She was joined by her usual doubles partner Nozima Toshpulatova, who joined the Dolphins a handful of games into the season and has shined, complete with an astounding 12-1 singles and doubles mark.  Toshpulatova is second on the squad, having won 9-straight singles matches.

Head Coach Paul Ricciardi was quick to cite the hard work of his team as a reason for the end-of-season laurels.  "I think our awards are all well-deserved," he said.  "Not only have our women excelled on the court, but they have dedicated themselves to getting better and working together as a team, in both singles and doubles play, to elevate their games.  I am glad to see the recognition."

The Dolphins were shut out of the major awards that were delivered.  Brooklyn College's Yuliya Orkis ran away with CUNYAC's Player of the Year honors, and the Bulldogs also took home awards for Coach of the Year (Ahmad Odetall) and Sportsmanship (Maria Sanz).  Rookie of the Year honors went to Baruch College's Allie Jackson-Hing.  

First team all-selections joining CSI's trio were Baruch's Amandine Le Goupil-Maier, Brooklyn's Suraya Maenhout, and Hunter's Jane Selegan.  On the second-team were Baruch's Jessica Duleba, Brooklyn's Sanz, CCNY's Andriana Aivazians, and Hunter's Shena Joseph.

"We have got some great athletes within the CUNYAC, so all-around, the recognition is well-deserved," said Ricciardi, whose team has posted a 15-2 overall mark against a very competitive schedule, complete with a 7-0 mark in CUNY.  "Right now we are looking forward to a great championship final against a very good team and extending our season."

?CSI will face off against Brooklyn College at 4pm tomorrow at the National Tennis Center in Flushing for the CUNYAC/Hospital for Special Surgery Championship.