Babson College senior Olivia Soffer has added another major milestone to her storied career, being named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Senior Player of the Year on Tuesday. The honor comes just one day after she was named the ITA Northeast Region Senior Player of the Year.
Soffer is the first player in Babson women’s tennis history to win both regional and national senior player of the year accolades. Widely regarded as the most decorated player the program has ever seen, she boasts a 26-4 singles record and a 25-2 mark in doubles this season, riding a 16-match winning streak in both formats.
Earlier this month, she captured her fourth straight New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Player of the Year award, earning first-team all-league honors in both singles and doubles.
“There is no one more deserving of this award than Olivia,” said head coach Emma Hall. “She puts in the work day in and day out and has been the glue of our team year after year. Her success speaks for itself, and I am so happy all of her hard work is being recognized nationally. She is an incredible tennis player and an even better person. It has been an honor and a privilege to coach and learn from Olivia.”
Soffer holds Babson’s all-time records for singles (98), doubles (93), and combined victories (191). In the 2022–23 season, she set the program’s single-season singles win record with 31 victories and teamed with junior Matia Cristiani to post a 32-2 doubles record. That run culminated in Babson’s first NCAA national title in women’s doubles last May.
Her rise began during her first season in 2021–22 when she became Babson’s first NCAA Singles Championship qualifier and All-American. In 2022–23, she claimed the ITA New England Championships singles title, advanced to the ITA Cup semifinals, and finished runner-up in both singles and doubles at the NCAA Individual Championships.
Last fall, Soffer and Cristiani claimed the program’s first ITA New England Championship doubles title, setting the stage for their national title victory over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the 2023 NCAA final.
Currently ranked third in both the ITA Division III singles and doubles standings, Soffer will compete in both draws at the NCAA Championships starting Saturday in Claremont, California.
Related topics:
