ODGEN, Utah – After notching one of the best seasons in school history, Head Coach Kim Bruno of the Northern Arizona University women's tennis team was named the Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year for the second time since her inaugural season in 2006.  The Lumberjacks not only finished the 2016 campaign with a remarkable 18-8 overall record, but brought home the program's first-ever regular season co-championship with a 10-1 record in conference matches.

"Given what our team did this year, I was just glad to be the leader of it all," Bruno said. "I think when you have a group of women who can be coached up and buy in to what you're doing, accolades like this often follow. I'm proud of them and I'm proud of what we accomplished. Erica's [Medlin] dedication to our program was also a huge part of why we were able to achieve what we achieved this season."  

This year also marked Bruno's winningest season to date since the Lumberjacks went 17-10 in 2013. The 18 victories this year becomes the second highest season win total in program history behind NAU's best 20-win season in 1999. In 2016 alone, NAU garnered two All-Big Sky First Team selections, one All-Big Sky Second Team Selection, One All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Selection and a league-best five Big Sky Player of the Week honors. In Bruno's 11-year tenure, she has now coached a total of 17 first team selections, 13 second team selections and 15 honorable mention selections.

Despite falling to Idaho in the final round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament this year, the 'Jacks have appeared in the championship match a total of nine times under Bruno's tutelage.  Since her hire in 2006, she has had all but two winning seasons, racking up an overall record of 143-112 including a 78-17 record in Big Sky matches. Northern Arizona took down Sacramento State to clinch the No. 1 spot in the conference earlier this season while simultaneously handing the Hornets their first regular season Big Sky loss since 2014.

Other highlights from this season include senior Jordan Denesik's perfect 11-0 record in regular season Big Sky matches on court five.  Denesik – who walked on to the team her freshman year – went from not making the starting lineup, to earning a full-ride scholarship, to becoming an honorable mention selection her junior year and earning a second team nod as a senior. Bruno's ability to motivate and develop players undoubtedly shined through Denesik and even beyond her this season.

Newcomers Hanneke Lodewijks and Blanka Szavay evolved into one of the best doubles tandems in the nation with Bruno and assistant coach Erica Medlin's guidance. Ranked as high as No. 81 in the ITA Rankings, the duo finished the 2016 season with 14 wins and just four losses – landing them both on the All-Big Sky First Team roster.  Among the most significant wins for Lodewijks and Szavay on court one was their upset over No. 22 Arizona State on March 28.

Bruno's impact extends outside the tennis arena, too. This year, Denesik was presented with the prestigious Gold Axe Award that honors graduating Northern Arizona University seniors who have made outstanding contributions in areas of academic performance, service, leadership and participation in activities.  Denesik will graduate in May with a 3.63 GPA in Biomedical Science with a minor in Chemistry and attend the No. 1 Physical Therapy Program in the country at the University of Delaware.

In total, Bruno has coached 24 players who have earned Big Sky All-Academic honors, one NCAA Woman of the Year nominee in 2015, one CoSIDA Capital One Academic First Team All-District selection in 2015 and the 'Jacks have rattled off three consecutive (2013-15) NCAA Public Recognition Awards that honor excellence in the classroom. Whether on the court or in the classroom, Bruno continues to make her mark at the helm of the women's tennis program. Next year she will return five of six starters and look to build off one of the best seasons in school history.