CARY, N.C. – The Norfolk State women's tennis team has leaned on its young core all season, and two bright spots for the future of the program received tremendous recognitions at the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference's annual awards ceremony on Wednesday evening.
 
Freshmen duo Yuliya Yurkova and Sofiya Tsitavets earned All-MEAC selections, after trading opportunities at the top positions in the lineup throughout the year. Yurkova received first team all-conference honors, while Tsitavets landed on the All-MEAC Second Team.
 
Yurkova has put together a historic freshman campaign, going 14-5 in singles with four victories at the No. 1 position and seven at the No. 2 slot. Although she produced an impressive nonconference resume with victories over East Carolina, Longwood, and Hampton, her strongest moment came in the form of a 7-6 (1), 3-6, 7-6 (6) victory over three-time MEAC Player of the Year Sofya Chursina.
 
Tsitavets went 10-8 in singles and 13-5 in doubles, racking up eight wins at the top singles position. Unfazed as a freshman against veteran competition, she opened the season with a 6-4, 6-4 win over William & Mary's No. 2 Allessandra Anghel, later defeating East Carolina No. 1 Ines Bachir 6-3, 6-7, 10-3.
 
Norfolk State begins the 2025 MEAC Tennis Championships on Thursday morning as the No. 4 seed, facing No. 5 seed Delaware State in the quarterfinals at 8 a.m. Every match of the tournament will take place at Cary Tennis Park.
 
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