INDIANA, Pa. – IUP women's tennis standout
Joanna Stralka was named the 2023 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Atlantic Region Most Improved Senior, the organization announced Tuesday.
Stralka becomes the fourth member of the IUP program to win the most improved player award by the ITA. It is the second year IUP has received most improved player honors with
Laura Dunarova winning the same honor in 2021-22.
Stralka was part of a team that finished the season with a 14-10 overall record and a perfect 6-0 mark in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) play. An All-PSAC First team selection in 2022-23, Stralka won the NCAA Elite 90 award prior to IUP's appearance in the NCAA Round of 16 earlier this month.
It marks the second NCAA Elite 90 award for Stralka, also winning the prestigious honor in 2020-21, finishing with a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average as a biology major.
She went a combined 45-13 this season for IUP across both singles and doubles, including 17-0 at the No. 2 doubles flight. Stralka joined
Natalie Kmoskova as a nationally ranked doubles pairing by the ITA in the second half of the season, picking up All-PSAC Second Team laurels as a duo. Combined, Stralka and Kmoskova went 19-1 in doubles matchups for IUP.
The Crimson Hawks captured a regular season division title in 2022-23, the program's third consecutive conference championship, a regional title and a spot in the NCAA Round of 16. IUP defeated Slippery Rock for the third time in 2022-23 to close out their portion of the NCAA Atlantic Regional, part of a seven-match winning streak entering the NCAA National Tournament in Orlando.
The Hawks finished the regular season ranked second in the Atlantic Region, hosting an NCAA regional pod with Slippery Rock, Shaw and Fairmont State in early May.
Stralka finishes her accomplished IUP career ranked 16th in program history in combined career wins (114), 16th in career doubles wins (58) and 15th in career singles wins (56).
ITA Atlantic Region Awards
IUP was well represented in the major regional awards announced by the ITA on Tuesday. In addition to Stralka's most improved senior recognition,
David Jacobs was named the ITA Atlantic Region Assistant Coach of the Year after stepping in full-time on an interim basis.
The Division II Playing Awards include: Wilson ITA Coach of the Year, ITA Assistant Coach of the Year, Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship, ITA Rookie of the Year, ITA Most Improved Senior, ITA Senior Player of the Year and ITA Community Service Award.
The national award winners will be announced next Tuesday, June 6th.
Follow
For up-to-date information, visit IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP women's tennis on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPtennis.
