ITA Regional Awards
 
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slippery Rock University women's tennis standouts Alissia Kivi and Amaia Balaguer Brau were recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Monday when the organization announced its regional awards.
 
Kivi earned the ITA Atlantic Region Rookie of the Year award while Balaguer Brau was tabbed the region's Player to Watch.
 
The awards come on the heels of what's been a pair of stellar seasons for two of the key pieces on a Rock team that's compiled a 15-9 overall record and has advanced to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Balaguer Brau was named the ITA Atlantic Region Player to Watch for a second consecutive season. The ITA Player to Watch Award goes to an athlete who has an outstanding season and is expected to perform at a high level the rest of their career. This award's criteria also include a player's sportsmanship and character.
 
The 2024-25 season was another dominant all-around campaign for Balaguer Brau, highlighted by a singles performance that has seen the junior compile a 27-9 overall record with a perfect 6-0 Pennsyvania State Athletic Conference Western Division record and an 18-6 mark out of the first flight. Prior to the team portion of the season Balaguer Brau won the ITA Atlantic Region championship to advance to the prestigious ITA Cup.
 
Her 27 singles victories are tied for the fourth-highest single-season win total in documented program history. Additionally, Balaguer Brau's 14-match winning streak (March 21-May 12) represented the sixth longest dual match winning streak all-time at The Rock.
 
Balaguer Brau - the No. 44 ranked singles athlete in all of Division II – has already been named the 2025 PSAC West Athlete of the Year as well as earning first team all-conference honors in both singles and doubles with partner Tina Slovak.
 
Before being named the Atlantic Region's top rookie, Kivi garnered PSAC West Freshman of the year accolades. Coming to The Rock from Harjumaa, Estonia, Kivi wasted little time establishing herself as one of the top athletes – rookie or otherwise – in the entire Atlantic Region. Prior to the team portion of the year, Kivi made a splash at the ITA Atlantic Region championships by advancing to the quarterfinals of the singles bracket.
 
During the team portion of the year Kivi played out of The Rock's second flight where she went 16-4 including a near perfect 5-1 PSAC West record. All told, Kivi heads into the third round of the NCAA Tournament holding a 23-8 overall singles record. Her 16 second flight wins represent the seventh highest single-season total in program history. 
 
The all-around success led to Kivi earning first team All-PSAC West honors in both singles and doubles with partner Nicole Kempton – a duo that has risen to No. 38 on the ITA's Division II doubles rankings.
 
SRU will meet No. 2 Nova Southeastern University 12 p.m. Wednesday at Sanlando Park in Altamonte Springs, Florida in the Round of 16 with the winner moving on for a quarterfinal match against either Azusa Pacific or Nebraska - Kearney 9 a.m. Thursday.




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