Valparaiso University women’s tennis freshman Jelena Vujanic (Elk Grove Village, Ill. / Elk Grove) garnered Missouri Valley Conference All-Select Team recognition on Thursday night as the league announced its honors at the MVC Championship awards banquet.

The 2018 All-Conference team is comprised of one individual from each of the six singles positions, as well as one doubles teams from each of the three doubles positions. In addition, nine individuals are chosen regardless of position played and are named to the “All-Select” Team. The All-Conference and All-Select teams are chosen by a vote of league coaches.

Vujanic has enjoyed a stellar freshman season, bursting onto the collegiate scene with a 19-6 overall record at second singles for the Crusaders. Her 19 singles wins are tied for fourth in program history and mark the most singles wins by any Valpo player since 2006-2007. She reached 19 triumphs on April 14 at Missouri State, but was hampered by an injury throughout the final four matches of the regular season.

Vujanic also garnered 12 doubles wins, playing the entire spring season at first doubles. She and fellow freshman Claire Czerwonka received the MVC Doubles Team of the Week on both Feb. 20 and April 3, while Vujanic captured the MVC Singles Player of the Week accolade on March 13.

Vujanic, whose singles winning percentage of .760 ranks sixth in single-season program history, becomes the first Crusader to receive all-conference recognition since 2007.

Valpo will begin the MVC Championship on Friday at 1 p.m. CT vs. Stony Brook in Springfield, Mo. This marks the first time the Crusaders have competed in a conference tournament since 2009. 

2018 Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Tennis All-Conference Team
No. 1 Singles Veronika Golanova Illinois State R-Jr.
No. 2 Singles Liza Petushkova Drake Fr.
No. 3 Singles Tess Herder Drake Sr.
No. 4 Singles Fati Khamissi Missouri State Jr.
No. 5 Singles Ellie Burger Missouri State Fr.
No. 6 Singles Mela Jaglarz Drake Sr.
No. 1 Doubles Tess Herder/ Liza Petushkova Drake Sr./Fr.
No. 2 Doubles Summer Brills/ Megan Webb Drake Sr./Fr.
No. 3 Doubles Fati Khamissi/ Alexia Meyer Missouri State Jr./So. 

2018 Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Tennis All-Select Team
Summer Brills Drake Sr.
Jelena Vujanic Valparaiso Fr.
Jelena Karla Vujicic Illinois State So.
Alye Darter Missouri State So.
Sandra Maletin Bradley Fr.
Gisela Kemper Northern Iowa Sr.

Player of the Year: Veronika Golanova, Illinois State
Freshman of the Year: Liza Petushkova, Drake
Coach of the Year: Mai-Ly Tran, Drake