EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's tennis team awarded five players with the 2011-12 team awards, head coach Tom Gillman recently announced.

Taylor Heltne (Jr.-Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) was named the team's Player of the Year. Heltne finished with a 20-8 overall record in singles play and was 25-5 in doubles competition, competing at No. 1 singles and doubles. She won eight of her final 10 singles competitions and nine out of her final 10 doubles matches this season, and last fall at the WIAC Championship, Heltne and partner Katie Gillman (So.-Red Wing, Minn.) was runner-up at No. 1 doubles.

Selected as the most improved player was Mary Frassetto (So.-Oshkosh, Wis./West). Frassetto competed primarily at No. 3 doubles and finished with a 16-2 record in dual competitions and an overall record of 18-6, which includes tournament play. She also posted a 3-2 singles record.

Gretchen Bachmeier (Jr.-Eau Claire, Wis./North) received the Coaches Award for the second year in a row. Competing at No. 2 singles and doubles, Bachmeier finished the year with a record of 19-9 in singles play and 23-8 in doubles competition. At the WIAC Championship last fall, Bachmeier finished in second place at No. 2 singles. To end the season, she won six out of her final eight singles matches and seven of her last eight doubles competitions.

Earning the Blugold Award was Maddie Johnson (Fr.-Lakeville, Minn./South). Primarily competing at No. 4 singles and No. 2 doubles, Johnson finished the season with an overall record of 18-9 in singles play and 23-8 in doubles competition. Johnson won four out of her last five singles matches this year.

Stephanie Wolf (So.-Verona, Wis./Verona Area) was presented with the Team Player Award. Wolf completed the season with a 3-2 singles record and 4-3 doubles record.

Bachmeier and Heltne were also selected as team captains for the 2012-13 season.

-KM-