LEBANON, Tenn.--Cumberland Head Coach Karen Martinez was named the Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year and Emilia Nowak earned Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year to highlight the awards for the Women's Tennis program, announced on Tuesday by conference officials. 

Head Coach Karen Martinez was named the Coach of the Year for the second time in her career in her final season at Cumberland. The Phoenix finished the regular season with a 10-8 record and 4-2 in conference to earn the No. 3 seed in this year's Conference Tournament. The Phoenix had a big turn around this season improving from a 3-18 season last year.

Martinez was named the Mid-South Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year in 2017-18. This is her first award on the women's side. She is the first Cumberland coach to be named Mid-South Conference Women's Tennis Coach of the Year since Bill McCormick in 2012-13. 

Nowak earns Freshman of the Year honors as well as being named a Second Team All-Conference honoree. Nowak has posted a 9-3 record this season in singles and has gone 5-0 in conference play playing at No. 2 and No. 3. In doubles this season, Nowak has posted a 10-8 record. She went 4-1 in conference play. 

Nowak is currently ranked the 7th-highest ranked singles player in the Mid-South and is 49th in the nation. Her and Juanita Mendez are the 3rd-highest ranked doubles pairing in the Mid-South and 29th nationally. She has been named Mid-South Conference Player of the Week once. 

Joining Nowak on the Second Team is senior Elina Sungatullina. She played at the top of the lineup for Cumberland all year at No. 1 in singles. She finished with a 3-13 overall record in singles play and was 0-4 in doubles. The Mid-South Conference has some of the toughest players in the NAIA and Sungatullina went toe-to-toe with most of them at No. 1.  

Sungatullina has been an All-Conference honoree in years past earning Second Team honors in 2021-22.