TEMPE, Ariz. --- Tusculum University ended the 2023 season ranked 21st in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Women's National Team Rankings.
The Pioneers were honored within the Southeast Region, placing sixth in the final region rankings with sophomore Leonie Floeth 13th in singles and the doubles team of sophomore Tabitha Howe and junior Paulina Loretz ranked eighth.
In addition, head coach Matt Frost was selected the ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year after leading the Pioneers to a share of the South Atlantic Conference regular-season championship and an NCAA Division II Tournament appearance.
Tusculum ended the year 17-7 overall and went 11-1 in SAC play to share the regular-season crown with Wingate. The Pioneers, who were the top seed in the SAC Championship tournament, fell to Wingate in the conference title match and were eliminated by NCAA quarterfinalist Columbus State 4-2 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Floeth (Toenisvorst, Germany) finished 18-12 overall for the Pioneers during the 2022-23 season, including a 13-10 record at flight one and an 8-3 mark in conference play. Floeth was named first-team All-SAC in singles and completed her sophomore season with a career singles record of 33-26.
Howe (Sevenoaks, England) and Loretz (San Mateo Atenco, Mexico) were second-team All-SAC as a doubles team this season after turning in a 6-3 record at flight one in conference play and an overall mark of 8-9.
Frost, who stepped down following the season to become head men's tennis coach at UNC Asheville, became the first Tusculum coach to receive ITA Region Coach of the Year honors. Frost was named SAC Coach of the Year after guiding the Pioneers to as high as 18th in the ITA Division II rankings during the 2023 season. In two seasons with the Tusculum women's program, Frost compiled a 30-14 overall record and a 19-5 conference mark.
Tusculum was 5-7 against teams that ended the year in the final ITA Division II Top 50 rankings, including victories over Wingate (10th), Newberry (19th), Anderson (38th) and two victories over Catawba (33rd). Four of Tusculum's seven losses came to teams that ended the year 11th or better.
The Pioneers have finished inside the ITA Division II Women's National Team Rankings in each of the last six full seasons, with top 25 finishes in 2018 (14th) and 2019 (16th) in addition to this year.
