WINONA, Minn. — For
Walter Mannino (Chicago, Ill.) and
Aubrey Hirsch (Topeka, Kan.), it was a fitting end to a pair of stellar careers.
For
Kayla Lenz (Pequot Lakes, Minn.), it was the fitting end to the first of what Saint Mary's University tennis coach
Jeff Halberg hopes are four outstanding years as a Cardinal.
Either way, In their final years in an SMU uniform or in her first, the trio had one thing in common Wednesday, as Mannino, Hirsch and Lenz were all named to the All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team.
Mannino, earning All-MIAC honors for the second time in three seasons — this time in both singles and doubles — finished 5-4 in nine matches at No. 1 singles, including three straight wins to close out the season, while adding a 5-3 mark at Nos. 1 and 2 doubles. For the season, the Cardinal senior went 11-6 in singles — all at No. — and was 9-5 in doubles to help SMU to an 8-10 overall record.
Like Mannino, Lenz earned all-conference honors in both singles and doubles, posting 5-5 records in both in SMU's 10 conference matches. For the season, Lenz finished with an 11-7 singles record and was 9-9 in doubles play in helping SMU to a 15-8 overall record.
Hirsch, meanwhile, closed out her collegiate tennis career with all-conference honors in doubles, going 5-4 in nine conference doubles matches, For the year, Hirsch, a two-time Cardinal captain, put together a 9-6 doubles record — all at No. 1.