Katie Lynn (L), Melanie Nolt (M), and Ally Kristofco (R) were three of five Lady Colonels named to the All-Freedom team Tuesday

FIVE LADY COLONELS NAMED TO ALL-FREEDOM WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM; NOLT NAMED POY, LEICHT COY

5/8/2012 4:50:00 PM

(2012 All-Freedom Conference Team)

FIVE LADY COLONELS NAMED TO ALL-FREEDOM WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAM; NOLT NAMED POY, LEICHT COY

ANNVILLE, PA – Five members of the Wilkes University women's tennis team have been named to the 2012 All-Freedom Conference team as announced by the Middle Atlantic Conference office Tuesday afternoon.

Melanie Nolt (Manheim, PA/Manheim Central), Katie Lynn (Berwick, PA/Berwick), and Ally Kristofco (Hollidaysburg, PA/Bishop Guilfoyle) were tabbed first team selections, while Alexis Donner (Belmar, NJ/Wall) and Anna Mitchell (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) garnered spots on the second team. Nolt was also named Freedom Conference Player of the Year, her third straight POY award. Head coach Chris Leicht was tabbed Freedom Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his nine seasons at the helm of the Wilkes program.

Nolt earns her third straight Freedom Player of the Year honor after going 16-5 overall and 5-0 in league matches during her junior campaign from Wilkes' top singles spot. All five of her league match wins came in straight set fashion including a 6-3, 6-0 win at No. 1 singles against Misericordia to clinch the Lady Colonels sixth straight title. A three-time All-Freedom performer, Nolt was also named Wilkes University's Female Athlete of the Year.

Lynn, a three-time first team All-Freedom performer, posted a 9-8 mark at No. 2 going 3-1 during Freedom play for the unbeaten Lady Colonels. She went a perfect 4-0 during the Freedom Championship Tournament collecting double wins at No. 1 with Nolt then cashing in two singles victories including a 6-0, 6-1 win against Misericordia in the title match on way to being named Freedom Tourney Most Valuable Player.

Kristofco earned her second All-Freedom selection, a first team nod, after being named a second team choice last year. She finished 20-1 overall from the No. 3 position including a perfect 5-0 mark in league matches. In doubles play Kristofco teamed with Alexis Donner (Belmar, NJ/Wall) to go 19-3 at No. 2 for the Lady Colonels.

Donner collected her second straight second team All-Freedom selection going undefeated (19-0) in singles play at No. 4. Donner was named Freedom Conference Player of the Week once after a 4-0 week in mid-April for Wilkes.

Mitchell rounded out the Lady Colonels chosen to the All-Freedom squad earning her first conference selection. Mitchell, the MAC Women's Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year, went 17-2 at No. 5 singles for Wilkes during the season and paired with Ana English at No. 3 doubles to go 13-2.

Leicht collects his seventh Freedom Coach of the Year award after guiding the women's squad to an undefeated (19-0, 5-0) season and sixth straight Freedom title. The Lady Colonels are currently ranked seventh in the Atlantic South Region, the highest in school history. They start the NCAA Championship Tournament this week allowing just one point in conference play this season.

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