Hidalgo Player of the Year in NEC
Bryant's Hidalgo tabbed as NEC Women's Tennis Player of the Year
Valeria Couto Cuervo and Lucy Bird Named All-Conference for 2011
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After leading the Bryant University women's tennis team to its best season in Division I, Claudia Hidalgo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) was named the Northeast Conference women's tennis Player of the Year for 2011.
Only a sophomore, Hidalgo finished with a record of 16-9 overall this season, including a 11-6 record at No. 1 singles for the Bulldogs. She was a perfect 5-0 against Northeast Conference competition. Among those wins was a straight-set victory over Quinnipiac's Rachel Cantor, last year's NEC Rookie of the Year, and earned two wins over Sacred Heart's Kate Donnelly. In the fall, she captured the New England Championship at No. 1 singles.
Joining Hidalgo on the NEC Singles All-Conference First Team was senior standout Valeria Couto Cuervo (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico / Academia Maria Renia). Couto Cuervo took home first team all-conference honors at No. 5 singles with a 4-1 record at the flight against NEC schools. She finished the year 11-10 overall and 9-8 in dual matches for the Bulldogs.
Hidalgo and classmate Lucy Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) were named NEC Second Team Doubles at Flight 1 after posting a 4-0 record against NEC schools and 7-5 overall record together on the season.
Bryant posted a 10-9 record in 2010-11 with a 3-2 mark against Northeast Conference teams. The 2011-12 season will be the program's fourth year competing at the Division I level and the final season of the mandatory four-year transition phase to full Division I status.
