West Alabama graduate student Shaira Rivera took home GSC Player of the Year accolades. West Florida meanwhile collected a pair of awards as Kylie Kochis was named GSC Freshman of the Year and Derrick Racine was tapped as GSC Coach of the Year.
GSC regular season champion Mississippi College and West Florida each had five student-athletes recognized as All-GSC selections. AUM and West Alabama followed with two apiece, while Lee, Montevallo and Valdosta State had one honoree each.
Rivera is the third Tiger in the last four seasons to win GSC Player of the Year, after compiling an 11-6 overall record in singles dual competition, while playing exclusively at the No. 1 position for the Tigers. She was also 5-1 in conference play and tallied a 5-2 against nationally ranked opposition. In addition, Rivera totaled a 15-3 record in doubles action alongside compatriot Alexa Milliam while playing exclusively at the top of the lineup. Rivera finished the season ranked eighth in singles and second in doubles by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
Kochis had a strong freshman campaign going 14-4 in dual competitions with a 5-3 mark in GSC play. The rookie from St. Augustine, Fla., appeared predominately at the No. 6 spot in the singles lineup, tallying a 9-4 record, but also played at the No. 4 (1-0) and No. 5 (4-0) positions. In doubles, she accumulated a 10-4 record, playing predominately alongside Sophie Smith as the duo finished 8-2.
Racine collected the conference’s top coaching award after leading West Florida to a 20-4 record and 7-1 mark in GSC play. The Argonauts concluded the regular season ranked No. 2 in the ITA Division II poll. This is Racine’s 15th GSC Coach of the Year, a conference-best, and his first since 2018.
The 2026 GSC Women’s Tennis Championships begin Thursday, April 24 with quarterfinal action from the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. For more information, including matchups, live scoring and more, visit tournament central at gscsports.org/wtenchamps26.
2026 GSC Women’s Tennis Yearly Awards
Player of the Year: Shaira Rivera, West Alabama
Freshman of the Year: Kylie Kochis, West Florida
Coach of the Year: Derrick Racine, West Florida
First Team All-GSC
Shaira Rivera, Gr., West Alabama#^
Emily Buchanan, Jr., Mississippi College
Melissa Yakup Pour, Sr., AUM
Carlota Verdu, Sr., West Florida!&%
Sandra Recuenco, Sr., West Florida!
Rima Yoshida, Jr., Lee
Alexa Milliam, So., West Alabama #
Guadalupe Martinez, Sr., West Florida!&
Second Team All-GSC*
Anna Hudson, Sr., Mississippi College
Rocio Martinez Azcarraga, Sr., Mississippi College#
Ann Cabot Stockett, Sr., Mississippi College
Kathrina Weber, So., Mississippi College
Aline Midori Da Silva, Sr., West Florida!^%
Charleigh Fay, Jr., Valdosta State
Mercedes Garcia Cid, Fr., AUM
Klara Podskubkova, Sr., Montevallo
Kylie Kochis, Fr., West Florida
* roster expanded due to tie in voting
# First Team All-GSC in 2025
! Second Team All-GSC in 2025
^ First Team All-GSC in 2024
& Second Team All-GSC in 2024
% Second Team All-GSC in 2023