Murray State University Athletics
Elkin, Racers Garner All-OVC Accolades
4/16/2014 5:38:00 PM | Women's Tennis
All-OVC Team | Championship Bracket | 2014 Statistics
At the Ohio Valley Conference men's and women's tennis championships banquet in Paducah, Ky., the conference announced its 2014 award winners. Murray State saw its name all over the list of honorees, as the teams consist of three Racers and head coach Olga Elkin, who received her first Coach of the Year honor.
Junior Andrea Eskauriatza represented MSU on the All-OVC first team. In just her first year with the team, Eskauriatza held down the No. 1 singles position from day one. From Veracruz, Mexico, she went 8-1 in singles play and, along with partner Erin Patton, went undefeated, 9-0, at second doubles in the OVC. She finished the season with 21 singles and 19 doubles victories.
Joining Eskauriatza on the All-OVC team are sophomore Megan Blue and freshman Eleonore Tchakarova. The two were named to the All-OVC second team.
For Blue, who hails from Ontario, Canada, she has been named to the all-conference team in both her freshman and sophomore years, becoming the first Racer to achieve that honor since Ashley Canty in 2010-2011. Blue went 8-1 in the OVC and 16-9 at the No. 4 singles draw. She also teamed with Carla Suga at third doubles, combining to go 5-3 in the OVC and was 13-8 overall.
Tchakarova is just one of four freshmen, among the 14, to be named All-OVC. The Sofia, Bulgaria native was dominant from the No. 3 singles position for the Racers. She finished the regular-season 10-0 in conference play, and led the Racers with 22 wins, the most since four Racers won at least 23 matches in 1993-94. She also teamed with her twin sister, Verginie Tchakarova, at the top doubles draw. The sisters played to a 5-3 conference record and were 15-10 overall.
In just her second year at the helm, Coach Elkin has led the Racers to the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. MSU earned the top seed after tying for the OVC regular-season championship with Eastern Kentucky at 9-1, but holding the tiebreaker over the Colonels. It is the Racers' first regular-season championship since 2003. Beginning Friday, they will seek their second OVC tournament championship.
"It is such a great honor," said Elkin. "The conference is full of great coaches, and so many had tremendous seasons. This is really a testament to the team we have. They have done a great job all year and I've been lucky to work with such a great group of girls."
Elkin becomes the third Racer women's tennis coach to win the award, joining five-time winner Connie Keasling ('87, '98, '01, '03, '04) and Ken Purcell ('84). At 25, she is also the youngest coach in Murray State history to be named OVC Coach of the Year in any sport.
After winning their first OVC regular-season championship since 2003, the Racers will shift their focus to the conference tournament. As the No. 1 seed, the Racers will have the benefit of receiving a bye into the semifinal round. MSU awaits the winner of the No. 4-No.5 matchup between SIU Edwardsville and UT Martin. That match will take place Friday, April 18 at 2 p.m. at the Larry J. Heflin Tennis Center in Paducah.
