BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – SIUE’s Amelia Gorman was tabbed the 2025 Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year as voted on by the league’s head Coaches. Western Illinois' Richardlyne Francois was named the Freshman of the Year while Coach of the Year honors went to the Redhawks Steven Brooks. The awards were announced prior to the OVC Championships starting on Thursday.
Gorman went 5-1 in OVC play at the No. 1 singles spot while going 21-5 overall. On the season, she finished 14-3 at No. 1 doubles and teamed with Stefaniya Anikina to go 5-0 in league play. The duo was named Doubles Team All-Conference. Anikina was also named to the 2025 All-OVC Second Team.
Francois posted a 15-3 singles record and 10-9 in doubles. She tallied a 3-1 OVC record at No. 1 and went 1-0 at both No. 2 and No. 3 singles. The freshman went 3-2 in conference play at No. 1 doubles and helped guide the Leathernecks to incredible turnaround. WIU claimed the second seed for the OVC Championship going 5-1 in league play and a 10-8 overall record after going winless in conference play and 2-16 overall a season ago. Francois was named to the 2025 All-OVC first team, while teammates Paige Grice and Chloe Routier earned second team honors.
In his first season, Brooks led the Redhawks to a 6-0 record as they secured their third consecutive regular season championship.
Joining Gorman and Francois on the first team are Bryant's Yahli Noy and Natalia Vela, Lindenwood's Fabiana Labrador and SEMO's Lera Valeera.
Joining Anikina, Grice and Routier on the second team are SIUE’s Margaux Guibal Britt, Eastern Illinois' Charleigh Fay, Southern Indiana's Antonia Ferrarini, and Tennessee State's Francisca Gomez-Weiss.
Joining Gorman and Anikina on the All-Conference Doubles Team are Bryant's Vela and Maria Jose Hernandez Diaz and EIU's Fay and Aleyla Wooten.
2025 Women’s Tennis All-OVC Teams
OVC Player of the Year: Amelia Gorman, SIUE
OVC Freshman of the Year: Richardlyne Francois, Western Illinois
OVC Coach of the Year: Steven Brooks, Southeast Missouri
1st Team
Yahli Noy, Bryant
Natalia Vela, Bryant
Fabiana Labrador, Lindenwood
Lera Valeera, Southeast Missouri
Amelia Gorman, SIUE
Richardlyne Francois, Western Illinois
2nd Team
Charleigh Fay, Eastern Illinois
Stefaniya Anikina, SIUE
Margaux Guibal Britt, SIUE
Antonia Ferrarini, Southern Indiana
Francisca Gomez-Weiss, Tennessee State
Paige Grice, Western Illinois
Chloe Routier, Western Illinois
Doubles Team All-Conference
Natalia Vela & Maria Jose Hernandez Diaz, Bryant
Aleyla Wooten & Charleigh Fay, Eastern Illinois
Amelia Gorman & Stefaniya Anikina, SIUE