TEMPE, Ariz. — For the fourth straight year, the Belmont Abbey women's tennis team were recognized for regional awards by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) earlier this week.

Belmont Abbey's Leilany Sanchez and Molly Hencken each earned accolades as the Southeast Region's Most Improved Player while Hencken was named the Regional Assistant Coache of the Year.  Additionally, the Crusaders also earned the organization's Community Service Award.

Sanchez put together a strong season for the Crusaders finishing 17-5 overall ins singles play, including a perfect 10-0 mark in Conference Carolinas competition. She also finished 16-6 in doubles play this season.

Hencken is the second Crusader assistant coach to earn the award after Morgan Zahnd did so following the 2023 season. She just completed her second year as an assistant coach after competing for the Crusaders as a student-athlete.

The community service award honors a team that gives back to their campus and their community through tennis and non-tennis pathways. It is the fourth straight year that the Crusaders have earned the award.

The full regional award winners can be found here.