For the first time in her collegiate career, Valparaiso University tennis sophomore Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) is the Missouri Valley Conference Singles Player of the Week.

Mia Bertino went 1-1 and had one unfinished match on Valpo’s spring trip as the Beacons faced two of the top Division-II teams in the country and a nationally-ranked Division-I foe. After dropping her match against Barry, the No. 1 team in the D-II nation, Bertino bounced back with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Barbora Cibakova of D-II No. 10 Lynn on Thursday. She led 6-5 in a tight first set against Kristina Miletic of D-I No. 37 Florida International on Friday when play was halted as the teams were playing a clinch-clinch format.

This marks the second straight week Valpo has garnered a weekly award from the conference office, as Claire and Olivia Czerwonka were named Doubles Team of the Week last week. In total, this is the fourth MVC weekly honor hauled in by the Beacons this season. Bertino becomes the first Valpo player to win the singles award since Olivia on Jan. 25.