TEMPE, Ariz. –  A trio of St. Edward's women's tennis student-athletes received regional honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) on Tuesday. PAO CARPIO, KATE MALAZONIA and VALENTINA MARTINEZ all were honored by the national organization for their performance on and off the court this season.

Carpio was selected as the winner of the ITA South Central Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award. The senior from San Salvador, El Salvador, recently clinched the Hilltoppers' 4-3 victory against Angelo State in the South Central Region Championship. She also was a first-team All-Heartland Conference honoree.

Malazonia was named the ITA South Central Region Rookie of the Year. The Birmingham, England, product ranks second on the team with a 21-5 overall record in singles competition. She also was a first-team All-Heartland recipient.

Meanwhile, Martinez was picked as the ITA South Central Region Most Improved Senior. The Katy native was a second-team All-Heartland honoree and was named the league's Outstanding Senior of the Year. She leads St. Edward's with a 24-5 record in singles play, while she has teamed up with BETH HAYWARD to post a 24-3 ledger in doubles action.

The Hilltoppers advanced to the NCAA Division II Round of 16 for the second time in program history and first since 2009. The matchups and dates are expected to be released later this week.




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