The Grand Valley State women's tennis team placed five players on the All-GLIAC team, while Vera Griva was named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year, the league announced on Friday night (Oct. 26).
 
Senior Madison Ballard and Vera Griva were named First Team All-GLIAC, while freshmen Marija Leko and Marily Canellopoulos received Second Team All-GLIAC honors. In addition, Nicole Heiniger also earned Honorable Mention All-GLIAC allocates.
 
Griva stepped right into the Laker lineup and became one of the top players in the conference posting a 9-0 record in singles (5-0 at No. 2 singles, 4-0 at No. 1 singles) and a 6-3 record in doubles as she partnered up with Canellopoulos at the No. 1 pairing. Also, Griva is the first Grand Valley State tennis player in program history to be named the GLIAC Freshman of the Year.
 
Ballard was selected to the All-GLIAC First Team for the third straight year after she posted a 6-3 record in singles, where she went 3-2 from the No. 1 slot and 3-1 from the No. 2 position. In doubles, Ballard paired up with Heiniger and the duo tallied a 6-3 record from the No. 2 position.  
 
Leko and Canellopoulos both turned in solid performances during their freshman campaigns. Leko played from No. 3 singles and tallied a 5-3 record and went 4-1 in doubles after she paired up Livia Christman at the No. 3 doubles position. Canellopoulos went 5-3 from the No. 4 position in singles and posted a 6-3 record in doubles after she partnered up with Griva from the No. 1 pairing.
 
Nicole Heiniger went undefeated for the Lakers in singles, going 5-0 from the No. 6 position and 2-0 from the number five position and recorded a 6-3 doubles record with Ballard from No. 2 doubles.
 
Grand Valley State finished the regular season 8-1 in the GLIAC and were named co-champions with Northwood. GVSU will open play at the GLIAC Tournament Friday (Oct. 27) against Ashland starting at 6:45 p.m.