Long Beach State's Grady Becomes First Four-Time Big West Player of the Year

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2009 Women's Tennis All-Conference Team

Long Beach State's Hannah Grady made history today, becoming the first individual to capture Big West Women's Tennis Player of the Year honors four times. Photo by Steve Chen

Hannah Grady added to her brilliant résumé at Long Beach State, becoming the first individual in Big West history to capture four Player of the Year awards as the 2009 women's tennis all-conference team was unveiled Tuesday.  Long Beach State's Jenny Hilt-Costello earned Coach of the Year honors and UC Irvine's Stephanie Hammel was tabbed the Freshman of the Year.
   
Grady, a native of Coventry, England, posted an 11-0 record against Big West opponents at the No. 1 singles position.  Her play sparked the 49ers to an unblemished 8-0 mark in Big West action and a regular season title.  Grady defeated three fellow members of the all-conference first team - UC Riverside's Erynne Oki, Cal State Northridge's Evgeniya Vertesheva and UC Irvine's Stephanie Hammel - to lead Long Beach State to its sixth straight Big West tournament title last weekend at Indian Wells Tennis Garden.  The senior posted a 20-5 record in dual matches this season.  Grady earned two Big West Player of the Week awards, giving her 11 career citations.  Perennially a nationally ranked player over the course of her four years in a 49er uniform, Grady is currently ranked No. 92 in the Campbell/ITA Singles rankings.
   
Hilt-Costello earned a Big West record sixth Coach of the Year honor, which includes five in the last six seasons.  She led the 49ers to an 18-7 overall record and 8-0 Big West mark.  The undefeated league season gave Hilt-Costello's 49ers their third regular season title in the past four years.  Her teams are 29-1 in Big West regular season play since 2006.  Hilt-Costello captured her sixth straight Big West Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth after the 49ers won three straight matches in Indian Wells last weekend.  The 49ers are currently No. 50 nationally in the Campbell/ITA Rankings.  Under Hilt-Costello, the 49ers are an impressive 167-59 (.739) in the last nine seasons.
   
Hammel is the first UC Irvine individual to win Freshman of the Year honors since the award was instituted in 2005.  She posted an 11-10 dual record playing exclusively at the No. 1 position.  Hammel earned a national ranking of No. 111 in singles on Mar. 3 and her biggest win over a nationally ranked opponent was No. 42 Alexandra Poorta of Saint Mary's on Mar. 1.  Hammel also posted a 5-4 record against Big West opponents, including wins against fellow all-conference first teamers Erynne Oki (UCR) and Suzie Matzenauer (CP).  She also had a pair of wins against second team all-league pick Michelle Murphy from UC Santa Barbara.  
   
The following is a complete listing of the 2009 Big West All-Conference Team:

FIRST TEAM - SINGLES