Atlanta, Ga. — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) announced its 2026 Women's Tennis All-Conference teams and postseason awards, celebrating the standout performers across the league as voted by the conference's head coaches.
Leading the accolades for Albany State University was sophomore
Monique Gundrum, who received the SIAC Women's Tennis Player of the Year honor after a remarkable season filled with impressive performances on the court.
For the fourth consecutive year, a Lady Golden Ram has secured the conference's highest individual distinction, reinforcing Albany State's legacy of excellence in SIAC women's tennis. Gundrum, hailing from London, England, earned All-SIAC recognition in singles after consistently delivering top-notch performances throughout the season. Her strong showing at the top of the lineup not only propelled Albany State during conference play but also established her as one of the league's premier athletes.
In addition to being named Player of the Year, Gundrum received the SIAC Elite 16 Award, recognizing the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average among those competing at the championship site. This honor underscores her commitment to excellence both in academics and athletics.
SIAC Women's Tennis All-Conference Teams
| SINGLES |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Valerie Essome |
Benedict |
Senior |
Duoula, Cameroon |
| Monique Gundrum |
Albany State |
Sophomore |
London, England |
| Sofia Lopez |
Edward Waters |
Sophomore |
Bogotá, Colombia |
| Leiloni Payton |
Tuskegee |
Sophomore |
Kansas City, Mo. |
| Syanne Tyson |
Clark Atlanta |
Freshman |
Buffalo, N.Y. |
| Claire Bosman |
Spring Hill |
Junior |
Auburn, Ala. |
| DOUBLES |
| NAME |
SCHOOL |
CLASS |
HOMETOWN |
| Leiloni Payton / Ayawavi Vania Dotse |
Tuskegee |
Sophomore / Junior |
Kansas City, Mo. / Lome, Togolese Republic |
| Syanne Tyson / Joiya Middlebrooks |
Clark Atlanta |
Freshman / Sophomore |
Buffalo, N.Y. / Stockbridge, Ga. |
| Claire Bosman / Romina Kroemer |
Spring Hill |
Junior / Junior |
Auburn, Ala. / Magdeburg, Germany |
Player of the Year: Monique Gundrum, Albany State
Freshman of the Year: Asia McRae, Tuskegee
Coach of the Year: Gregory Green, Tuskegee
Elite 16: Monique Gundrum, Albany State
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ABOUT ALBANY STATE ATHLETICS
Albany State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II-level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 11 sports: women's volleyball, women's tennis, women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, softball, men's and women's track and field, women's soccer, baseball, and football, with all teams competing in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC), except women's soccer, which participates in the Peach Belt Conference.
