ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – University of New Mexico women’s tennis head coach Erica Jasper has been named the 2015 ITA Mountain Region Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year as announced by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association on Tuesday morning.
“I am honored to receive this award,” Jasper said. “In this case, it really is a team award. Our players and my associate head coach Kelcy McKenna helped make this year a phenomenal experience for me. I am so proud to be the coach here at New Mexico!”
Jasper has made great improvements to the entire Lobo women’s tennis program since first coming to UNM in 2012. However the 2014-15 season has been especially notable for many reasons. Jasper lifted the program to new heights this season as the Lobos captured UNM’s first-ever Mountain West Championship title in women’s tennis and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006. Throughout the season, the Lobos tallied wins over several nationally ranked opponents including Denver, Utah, Houston, and Kansas. UNM claimed the conference title after defeating Wyoming 4-2 in the championship match in April. Additionally, UNM was ranked as high as No. 34 in ITA rankings this season making it the program’s highest team ranking since 2004. UNM finished the season with a 16-10 record after falling to LSU in a tight battle in the first round of the NCAA Championships.
Aside from Jasper’s contributions to the Lobo tennis program, she is an active member in the ITA and an active USTA volunteer.
Jasper’s off-court accomplishments: Tournament director for the 2014 USTA/ITA Mountain Regional Championships (first time ever that the event was hosted in Albuquerque), USTA Collegiate Varsity National Committee (2013-14), USTA Pro Circuit National Committee (2015-present), member of the ITA Board of Directors 2014-present, member of the ITA Operating Committee (2013-present), and ITA Mountain Region Chair (2013-present).
Jasper is the second coach in program history to earn the honor. It is the fourth overall time that UNM has claimed the award as Kathy Kolankiewicz received the honor in 1996, 1999, 2004
Jasper wasn’t the only Lobo that earned ITA recognition this week. Senior Natasha Smith has been named the 2015 Most Improved Senior Player of the Year. Since first transferring to UNM from Utah her junior year, Smith has made an incredible turn around and has helped guide the Lobos to so many great accomplishments over the last two years.
Highlights of Smith’s career: She has been regionally ranked in either singles or doubles during her entire UNM career; Two-time team captain; 2014 recipient of UNM’s Leslie Self Inspirational Award; 2014 Most Inspirational Player; 2015 Team MVP; 2015 All-Mountain West in Singles; Two-time MW Player of the Week honoree; Clinched UNM’s 4-2 win over Wyoming in the Mountain West Conference Finals to give UNM its first conference tournament title in program history.
“I am particularly proud of Natasha,” Jasper said. “There couldn’t be a more perfect award to cap her Lobo career. The improvement she has shown and the leadership she provided has transformed this program for the better. We will certainly miss Natasha next season, but we can’t wait to see what she conquers next in life.”
Smith competed in the No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots for the Lobos. She finished the season with an overall 17-14 singles record, 11-16 doubles record.
COMPLETE LIST OF ITA REGIONAL WINNERS
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