TEMPE, Ariz. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced its Division I Women's Regional awards on Tuesday, with UC Santa Barbara healthily represented. For the Southwest region, Simon Thibodeau won Coach of the Year, Maggie Kane won Assistant Coach of the Year, and Amelia Honer won both Senior Player of the Year and the Cissie Leary Sportsmanship award.
 
For Thibodeau, this regional honor couples with his third career Big West Coach of the Year honor received in early May. This season, Thibodeau led the team to a 17-9 overall record—9-0 in conference—with eight wins over nationally-ranked opponents, plus a Big West Championship over rival Cal Poly. In the NCAA Tournament, they advanced to the second round for the third time in program history after beating Rice, 4-3, in Texas. The Gauchos finished the year ranked 30th in the ITA Team rankings.
 
Kane, under the title of Associate Head Coach, has been crucial to the program's recent success. Since joining in the 2021-22 season, the Gauchos have finished the regular season undefeated in Big West play in three of the four years. The team's two Big West Championships (2022, 2025) during her tenure also coincide with two of the aforementioned NCAA Tournament first round victories. Thus, the Southwest Regional Assistant Coach of the Year honor is fully merited.
 
Honer's Southwest Senior Player of the Year award adds to her already crowded silverware cabinet. The three-time Big West Player of the Year and two-time ITA All-American ended her senior year ranked 15th in the ITA Singles rankings with four wins over ranked opponents. Overall, Honer went 18-2 in singles, every match at the top of the Gauchos lineup.
 
Furthermore, the Cissie Leary Sportsmanship award "goes to a Division I women's player who displays inspiring dedication and commitment to her team, which has enhanced her team's performance and exemplified the spirit of college tennis." Honer certainly has done that, leading the program to a slew of accomplishments on the court with an equally positive personality and impression on her teammates off the court. UC Santa Barbara Women's Tennis is better off thanks to her impact and legacy left over her four years.
 
The ITA national award winners will be announced this Friday, June 13.