2024 All-PacWest Teams

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Numerous Urban Knights from Academy of Art women's tennis came away with All-PacWest awards on Wednesday. Among the ART U honorees was a three-time award winner as a freshman, the first occurrence in program history. 

Freshman Amelija Supulniece would be just that, as she was named the Freshman of the Year, while simultaneously being named to the All-PacWest First Team in singles, and earning All-PacWest Second Team honors in doubles. This season, Supulniece held a No. 23 national ranking in doubles with an nine-match ranked streak, and is ranked No. 48 nationally in singles. All 30 of the Riga, Latvia native's matches were played on Court 1, where she holds a 11-3 record in singles with a 7-3 record in doubles. Supulniece defeated four nationally ranked opponents this season, with two of those being top 10 in the NCAA Division II pool. 

On the doubles court all season long with Supulniece has been junior Erica Hellbe, who joins Supulniece on the All-PacWest Second Team in doubles, as she contributed towards the pair's No. 23 national ranking and 7-3 record on Court 1. The pair had multiple big wins together this season, including taking down the No. 8, No. 10, and No. 21 teams in the nation.

Also added to the All-PacWest Second Team is sophomore Jessica Plazas, who was named to the team on the singles court. Plazas holds a 14-1 singles record on the year with 12 of those wins coming on Court 2 as she was 2-0 against nationally ranked opponents. The Bogotá, Colombia native has been dominant all season long, and it shows as she's won a set with a 6-2 score or better on 29 occasions. 

The award winners' seasons are still in motion, as No. 48 Academy of Art women's tennis took down Colorado Mesa in the first round of the PacWest Tournament today with a 4-0 score. The squad will compete once again tomorrow, as they're squared up against No. 36 Hawaii Pacific 1 p.m.