IOWA CITY, Iowa — For the second time in as many weeks and the fourth time this season, University of Iowa freshman Alexa Noel has been named Big Ten Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week, the conference office announced Tuesday.
Noel is one of just three players in Big Ten Conference history to earn the weekly award four times in a single season. Her four career honors ties Sonja Molnar for most in program history.
A native of Summit, New Jersey, Noel improved to 22-0 overall and 16-0 in the Big Ten following a straight-set win last week against No. 125 Kristina Novak of Nebraska, 6-0, 6-4. The win was her sixth this season against a ranked opponent and clinched Iowa’s school-record 12th Big Ten victory. She also helped Iowa clinch the doubles point, winning the decisive set, 7-6, with teammate Samantha Mannix.
Noel is ranked No. 13 in the country, the highest ranking of any player in program history. She has the best single-season winning percentage (1.000) of any player in school history with a minimum of 10 matches, and she was won 20 of 22 matches in straight sets, all at the No. 1 position.
The Hawkeyes return to the court Friday, April 30, at 6 p.m. (CT) at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament in Madison, Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes are the No. 4 seed, their highest seed since 2010 (No. 4).
