By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Sarah Dean (So., Boise, ID/Timberline HS) has been selected Second Team All-Northwest Conference in women's tennis in voting by the NWC head coaches. A total of 17 players were selected for the 2019 All-NWC Women's Tennis Team, with eight athletes on the First Team and nine athletes chosen for the Second Team.

"It's a pretty big accomplishment for Sarah in just her second year here," Willamette Head Coach Bryce Parmelly said. "She has come a long way in a very short amount of time. I'm so happy that she was selected for this recognition. She deserves it." 

Michelle Uyeda, a sophomore from Linfield College, was named NWC Women's Tennis Player of the Year and was a repeat selection for First Team All-NWC honors. She was named Freshman of the Year last season. Earning this year's NWC Women's Tennis Freshman of the Year award was Rachael Rice from Lewis & Clark College. Linfield's co-head coaches, Lisa Macy-Baker and Carl Swanson, were voted NWC Women's Tennis Coaches of the Year for the third consecutive season.

Second Team All-Northwest Conference

Sarah Dean (So.) earned Second Team All-NWC recognition for the first time. This year, Dean played 12 singles matches during the dual season, all at the #1 position. She moved up after competing in 16 matches at #3 singles and one match at #1 singles as a freshman in 2017-18. Her overall career singles record in dual matches is 15-14.

As a freshman, Dean played #2 doubles and achieved an 8-8 record in 16 matches. She moved up to #1 doubles this season and combined with Robin Pashek (So., The Dalles, OR/The Dalles-Wahtonka HS). Dean and Pashek competed in 12 dual matches this spring and were 5-7 in doubles play.

This week, Dean is competing in the Women's Division III Invitational Singles bracket and the Women's Division III Doubles bracket at the prestigious Ojai Tennis Tournament in Ojai, California. After losing to Nicole Fouts of Chapman University (Calif.) in the first round of singles, 7-5, 6-2, Dean rebounded with a victory over JoAnn Taylor of California Lutheran University, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 10-8, in a first round consolation match that was decided by a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set.

Dean was scheduled to take on Vivian Lee from the University of California, Santa Cruz in the quarterfinals of consolation singles on Friday. The winner will advance into the semifinals of the consolation bracket on Saturday.

In the first round of doubles, Dean and Pashek were defeated by Fouts and Vasilisa Trofimova of Chapman in a super tie-breaker played instead of a third set, 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 10-8. Dean and Pashek won the second set in a regular tie-breaker to send the match into the super tie-breaker.