Bliss, Wanek claim top honors from A-R-C
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- The Simpson women's tennis team swept the top-two American Rivers Conference awards on Thursday as Faith Bliss earned Coach of the Year honors and junior Anna Wanek was named the league's Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the conference's nine head coaches.
To view the American Rivers Conference release, click HERE.
Along with those top accolades, junior Emily King and Wanek both received All-American Rivers Conference honors for their work during singles and doubles play this fall for the Storm.
In just her third season as head women's tennis coach, Bliss is the fourth coach in program history to receive this honor and first to do so since 1997. Bliss led the squad to a 7-4 overall record and 5-3 mark in the conference to finish third in the standings in 2020. The five league victories are the most in a season since the Storm went 5-4 in 2008-09. Simpson swept two matches this fall and had a stretch of three straight victories during the middle of the season.
Wanek's MVP award is the first for Simpson since Katheryn Nedved earned the accolade in 1996. The Urbandale, Iowa native amassed a perfect record with 14 victories in her first season with the Storm. Her fall was highlighted by winning the A-R-C Individual Tournament A-Singles flight, which was capped off by defeating the reigning A-R-C MVP, Devon Bourget of Luther, in the championship.
In Wanek's singles matches, she only played to three sets on three occasions at the No. 1 slot for the Storm. In doubles play, she teamed with King to hold an 8-3 record at the top spot, with five victories coming in their last six matches. Wanek was named the A-R-C Player of the Week three times this fall to become the first player in team history to receive three weekly honors and first since 2001 to earn multiple.
This is King's second all-conference singles honor after she started her career with an honorable mention nod in 2018. The Friendswood, Texas native went 10-4 this fall and 6-2 against league foes, and won the A-R-C Individual Tournament A-Singles Consolation bracket. King currently sits with 32 career victories in her Storm career.
.@StormWTennis head coach Faith Bliss and junior Anna Wanek took home the top honors on the All- @AmerRiversConf Women's Tennis Team on Thursday.
— Simpson Storm Sports (@StormSports) November 19, 2020
�� https://t.co/5uqflQUcMM #ONESimpson | #rollriversWTN pic.twitter.com/BVzBjF562S
Congrats to @StormWTennis head coach Faith Bliss for earning @AmerRiversConf Coach of the Year honors!
— Simpson Storm Sports (@StormSports) November 19, 2020
Bliss tallies the fourth Coach of the Year honor in program history and first since 1997.#ONESimpson | #rollriversWTN pic.twitter.com/VAM658FyPj
For the first time since 1996, @StormWTennis has an @AmerRiversConf MVP!
— Simpson Storm Sports (@StormSports) November 19, 2020
Congrats to Anna Wanek for earning the top honor after holding a 14-0 record this fall in her first season with the Storm!#ONESimpson | #rollriversWTN pic.twitter.com/0AuG6evmWw
