ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conferenced announced the women’s tennis all-conference team and individual award winners on Wednesday. Ohio State’s Shiori Fukuda was named Athlete of the Year, while Maryland’s Ayana Akli was honored as Freshman of the Year.
 
Fukuda is the Buckeye’s third Big Ten Athlete of the Year in the last five seasons, joining Francesca Di Lorenzo who earned the title in 2016 and 2017. Fukuda led Ohio State to a 9-3 record while earning 2020 ITA All-America plaudits. She posted a 24-7 overall singles record and a 9-3 dual mark, climbing to a career-high eighth ITA ranking during the season. The junior finished the season at No. 11, the highest ranked Big Ten athlete.
 
Akli is the first Terrapin in school history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Akli finished her freshman year with a 21-3 singles record and 16-5 doubles record playing solely at the No. 1 position in singles and doubles. She is currently ranked 90th by the ITA after climbing as high as No. 71 this season. Akli posted a team-leading nine dual match victories at the No. 1 position in her first season as a Terrapin.
 
The complete list of All-Big Ten selections and Sportsmanship honorees can be found below.

 
2019-20 All-Big Ten Women’s Tennis Awards
As selected by Big Ten coaches
 
ALL-BIG TEN TEAM
Asuka Kawai, Illinois
Mia Rabinowitz, Illinois
ELISE VAN HEUVELEN TREADWELL, IOWA
AYANA AKLI, MARYLAND
Andrea Cerdan, Michigan
GIULIA PAIRONE, MICHIGAN
Mary Lewis, Michigan State
Dalila Said, Minnesota
CLAIRE REIFEIS, NEBRASKA
JULIE BYRNE, NORTHWESTERN
SHIORI FUKUDA, OHIO STATE
Danielle Wolf, Ohio State
Ena Babic, Purdue
DENISE STOICA, WISCONSIN
 
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Shiori Fukuda, Ohio State
 
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Ayana Akli, Maryland
 
Unanimous selections designated in ALL CAPS
 
SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Josie Frazier, Illinois 
Annabelle Andrinopoulos, Indiana 
Danielle Bauers, Iowa 
Saya Usui, Maryland 
Nicole Hammond, Michigan 
Sammie Memije, Michigan State 
Cammy Frei, Minnesota 
Isabel Adrover Gallego, Nebraska 
Hannah McColgan, Northwestern  
Kolie Allen, Ohio State 
Gracey Hirsch, Penn State 
Zala Dovnik, Purdue 
Sydney Kaplan, Rutgers 
Xinyu Cai, Wisconsin