Valparaiso University tennis fifth-year senior Olivia Czerwonka (Kenosha, Wis. / Saint Joseph Catholic Academy) was named to the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete First Team, leading a group of five Beacons that received scholar-athlete laurels from the conference office on Thursday.

Sophomores Elizabeth Sobieski (Muskego, Wis. / Muskego) and Sydney Stone (Brisbane, Australia / Tyler JC) were named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Second Team, while senior Mia Bertino (Lockport, Ill. / Joliet Catholic) and sophomore Moira Silva (Houston, Texas / Houston Tennis Academy) were named MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention.

Czerwonka, who finished her undergraduate degree with a 3.70 cumulative grade point average in nursing and owns a 3.93 GPA in the doctor of nursing practice graduate program, earned MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team honors for the fourth straight year. This adds to her list of career accolades that also includes 2021-22 MVC Player of the Year, 2021-22 Valparaiso University Female Athlete of the Year, Fall 2021 MVC Flight 1 Doubles Champion, Fall 2021 MVC Flight 2 Singles Champion, 2021-22 All-MVC First Team (No. 1 Singles), 2020-21 and 2022-23 MVC All-Select Team. She posted a 25-8 singles record and 16-14 doubles record this season, ranking second in program history for single-season singles wins. She owns the program records for career singles wins (88) and career doubles wins (78). Czerwonka was a 12-time MVC weekly award winner in her career including being part of the MVC Doubles Team of the Week on Jan. 25 of this season.

Sobieski, who owns a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA in biology/chemistry, put together a 17-11 singles record this season including a 4-2 conference mark. She assembled a three-match singles winning streak with victories over Belmont, UNI and Missouri State and also beat UIC to close out the season having won four of her final five singles matches.

Stone, who owns a 3.91 GPA in psychology, won 15 singles matches and 15 doubles matches in her first season at Valpo. With the team score tied 3-3, she pulled out an incredibly tight and pressure-packed win over Eastern Michigan in her match, 6-3, 6-7(4), 7-6(0) to lift the squad to a dramatic victory. She also picked up conference singles wins over Missouri State and Drake.

Bertino, who owns a 3.89 GPA in education, earned MVC Scholar-Athlete Honorable Mention for the third straight season. She finished with 47 career singles victories, two shy of cracking the program’s all-time top 10. Silva, the 2022-23 MVC Flight 2 Singles Champion, owns four MVC weekly awards over her two seasons including one singles and one doubles honor this year.

First Team

Darinka Stepan, Sr., Drake - 4.00 Athletic Training

Agnes Gustafsson, Sr., UIC - 3.66 Sociology & Psychology

Tamara Malazonia, Sr., UIC - 3.85 Biological Sciences

Nevena Kolarevic, So., Illinois State - 3.87 Cybersecurity

*Silvia Pomarolli, So., Illinois State Psychology

Tijana Zlatanovic, Sr., Illinois State - 3.82 Exercise Science

Olivia Czerwonka, Gr., Valparaiso - 3.70 Nursing

Sarah Bureau, Sr., Murray State - 3.97 Management

Marit Kreugel, Gr., Murray State - 4.00 Business Administration

*MVC S-A of the Year

Second Team

Anna Belogliadova, So., Bradley - 4.00 Business Economics & MIS Business Analytics

Alexandra Hildreth, So., Bradley - 4.00 Management & Leadership Certificate

Ines Stephani, Sr., Drake - 3.61 International Relations

Natalie Slezakova, Gr., Murray State - 4.00 Business Administration & Finance

Juliette Robinson, Jr., Missouri State - 3.97 Finance

Darta Dalecka, Jr., UNI - 3.81 Communications

Elizabeth Sobieski, So., Valparaiso - 4.00 Biology/Chemistry

Sydney Stone, So., Valparaiso - 3.91 Psychology

Honorable Mention

Maria Bezmenova, Sr., Bradley - 3.55 Cyber Security & Marketing

Amy Henning, Jr., Missouri State - 3.92 Nutrition & Dietetics

Sandra Lukacova, Jr., Missouri State - 3.51 Marketing Management

Mary Houston, Sr., Missouri State - 3.84 English Education

Megan Null, So., Murray State - 3.94 Biology/Pre-Physician Assistant

Annika Pschorr, Sr., Murray State - 3.83 Exercise Science/ Exercise Physiology

Zara Ryan, Sr., UIC - 3.55 Biochemistry

Mia Bertino, Sr, Valparaiso - 3.89 Education

Moira Silva, So., Valparaiso - 3.56 Nursing