Shibahara Named ITA Player to Watch
May 21, 2018 | Women's Tennis
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. โ UCLA sophomore Ena Shibahara has been named the 2018 ITA Player to Watch for the Southwest Region, it was announced on Monday morning.
The Player to Watch Award is granted to the individual from his or her region who is deemed to be one of the top returning players for next season and a top candidate to win an ITA Regional Championship.
This past season, Shibahara recorded a 25-9 record in singles play including a 15-6 mark in dual match play (exclusively on court one). In doubles, she posted a 28-4 record. She was partnered with junior Alaina Miller for most of the season, and that tandem proved near-unbeatable for UCLA, going 19-1 overall and recording a 20-match unbeaten streak to close out the season.
Monday's ITA Award contributes to what is becoming a rapidly-filling award case for Shibahara. So far this season, she has been named the Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year and All-Pac-12 First Team for the second consecutive season, becoming just the second Bruin and fourth athlete ever to repeat as the league's top individual player. As a freshman in 2016-17, she was the ITA National Rookie of the Year with a 40-7 singles record.
The Palos Verdes Peninsula HS product becomes the third Bruin to be named ITA's Player to Watch (Keri Phebus โ 1993, Sara Walker โ 2000). The preseason No. 1 singles player in the country, she entered the postseason ranked No. 9. She and rest of the Bruins advanced to the Elite Eight in their record 38th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Though UCLA has been eliminated from the team championship, Shibahara โ as well as Jada Hart and the doubles pairing of Hart and Terri Fleming โ will compete in this week's NCAA Singles & Doubles Championships. ย
Players Mentioned
