STANFORD, Calif. - Fresh off its latest NCAA championship run, freshman Michaela Gordon and head coach Lele Forood were honored as ITA National Award winners.
Gordon was named the ITA National Rookie of the Year, becoming the Cardinal's first recipient since Kristie Ahn in 2011. Gordon is Stanford's highest-ranked player at No. 15 in the country, finishing 21-10 overall and 12-9 in duals, playing all of her matches at the No. 1 spot of the lineup. Also honored as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Gordon provided four clinchers and finished 11-3 against Pac-12 opponents and 8-8 against nationally-ranked foes. Selected to compete in the NCAA Singles Championship, Gordon captured the ITA Northwest Regional Championships singles title in her collegiate debut.
The Pac-12's best freshman is also the nation's best: https://t.co/BfVMQjGqxq#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/LaFgxT4WEl
— Stanford Women's Tennis (@StanfordWTennis) May 25, 2018
In doubles, Gordon paired with sophomore Emily Arbuthnott as the nation's No. 3-ranked duo, finishing 17-7 overall while winning the Oracle ITA National Fall Championships title. Gordon and Arbuthnott will also compete in the NCAA Doubles Championship.
Forood was selected as the ITA National Coach of the Year, earning the distinction for remarkably only the second time in her career after being first recognized in 2003. Guiding Stanford to its 19th NCAA championship in school history with the Cardinal duplicating its 2016 title run as a No. 15 seed, Forood has now coached Stanford to nine NCAA titles in her 18 seasons on The Farm. Four of those NCAA championships have come over the last nine years, with Stanford seeded No. 8 in 2010 and No. 12 in 2013.
Congrats, #lele! ????
— Stanford Women's Tennis (@StanfordWTennis) May 25, 2018
Make that nine NCAA championships: https://t.co/BfVMQjoPFS#GoStanford pic.twitter.com/vb7e0GpmEp
Forood, who has compiled a 438-43 overall record during her tenure, also was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year, collecting her sixth conference honor but first since 2011. Stanford also finished 9-0 in Pac-12 play for the program's 11th undefeated conference slate and claimed its third straight conference title overall. The Cardinal was without the services of junior All-American Melissa Lord due to injury until the final week of March, but didn't miss a beat down the stretch, winning its final 20 matches. On April 27, Stanford picked up win No. 1,000 in program history, defeating Washington State 4-0 in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Championship.