Wahinepio Named Big Sky Women’s Tennis Player of the Week

OGDEN, Utah – Northern Arizona freshman Malia Wahinepio has earned her first-career Big Sky women’s tennis Player of the Week award, the conference announced Wednesday. The native of Anthem, Ariz. (Moon Valley HS) went 2-0 in singles and 1-1 in doubles last week as NAU split a pair of road matches in Colorado.

Wahinepio began the weekend on Saturday with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Colorado State’s Veronica Wojakowska of Colorado State to account for the Lumberjacks only singles win in a 5-2 loss to the Rams. On Sunday at Northern Colorado, Wahinepio cruised past Luiza Xavier, 6-3, 6-3, to lead NAU to a 5-2 Big Sky victory. She also teamed with junior Orsi Golovics at No. 1 doubles for an 8-2 win against the Bears.

Playing at No. 4 singles, Wahinepio has a team-best 3-1 singles record this season, winning her last-three matches. She has also played exclusively at No. 1 doubles with Golovics, as the duo is currently ranked No. 35 in the nation. The award is the second such accolade for NAU this season, as Golovics was named Player of the Week on January 27.

The Lumberjacks host their first match of the season on Friday, welcoming Montana State for a Big Sky dual at Flagstaff Athletic Club East at 1 p.m.