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Balus, Coleman Earn ITA Regional Awards
6/10/2025 11:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
DURHAM, N.C. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) released its women's regional award winners Tuesday with a pair of members of the Duke women's tennis team earning awards. Freshman Irina Balus was tabbed the Carolina Region Rookie of the Year and senior Ellie Coleman was named the winner of the Carolina Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship award.
Balus, who hails from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, opened her collegiate career by winning 20 of her first 23 singles and doubles matches. She went on to finish the season with a 17-11 overall singles mark and was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally. Balus earned All-America and All-ACC honors, while posting a 21-15 doubles mark and finished the year ranked as high as No. 10 in doubles. She became one of just eight Blue Devil freshmen to be ranked in the top-10 nationally as rookies.
It marks the second year in a row a Blue Devil has won the Carolina Region Rookie of the Year as Shavit Kimchi earned the honor in 2024. A total of six Duke student-athletes have won the award – Beatrice Capra (2012), Samantha Harris (2015), Kelly Chen (2018), Maria Mateas (2019), Kimchi (2024) and Balus (2025).
Coleman, an All-America and Academic All-America selection in her final year with the Blue Devils, closed her career with one of her best seasons over her four years. She collected a career-high 26 singles wins and finished the year ranked No. 85 in singles, which was a season-best ledger. Coleman, a native of Midland, Mich., posted a 19-2 dual match singles record along with a 10-0 ACC mark and went a perfect 11-0 at No. 6 singles. She finished her career with an 83-38 singles ledger and 80-44 doubles mark.
An exceptional leader, Coleman received a degree in environmental science and policy along with totaling a 3.83 grade-point average.
As a team, Duke registered a 24-4 overall record, a 12-0 ACC mark and a trip to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. The Blue Devils captured their 22nd ACC regular season championship and Duke's first undefeated mark in league play since 2012.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
#GoDuke
Balus, who hails from Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, opened her collegiate career by winning 20 of her first 23 singles and doubles matches. She went on to finish the season with a 17-11 overall singles mark and was ranked as high as No. 8 nationally. Balus earned All-America and All-ACC honors, while posting a 21-15 doubles mark and finished the year ranked as high as No. 10 in doubles. She became one of just eight Blue Devil freshmen to be ranked in the top-10 nationally as rookies.
It marks the second year in a row a Blue Devil has won the Carolina Region Rookie of the Year as Shavit Kimchi earned the honor in 2024. A total of six Duke student-athletes have won the award – Beatrice Capra (2012), Samantha Harris (2015), Kelly Chen (2018), Maria Mateas (2019), Kimchi (2024) and Balus (2025).
Coleman, an All-America and Academic All-America selection in her final year with the Blue Devils, closed her career with one of her best seasons over her four years. She collected a career-high 26 singles wins and finished the year ranked No. 85 in singles, which was a season-best ledger. Coleman, a native of Midland, Mich., posted a 19-2 dual match singles record along with a 10-0 ACC mark and went a perfect 11-0 at No. 6 singles. She finished her career with an 83-38 singles ledger and 80-44 doubles mark.
An exceptional leader, Coleman received a degree in environmental science and policy along with totaling a 3.83 grade-point average.
As a team, Duke registered a 24-4 overall record, a 12-0 ACC mark and a trip to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championship. The Blue Devils captured their 22nd ACC regular season championship and Duke's first undefeated mark in league play since 2012.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
Eleana Yu Post Match vs. Auburn
Saturday, May 10
Jame Ashworth Post Match vs. Auburn
Saturday, May 10
Ellie Coleman Post Match vs. FAU
Saturday, May 03
Jamie Ashworth Post Match vs. FAU
Saturday, May 03
