Inside HOKIE SPORTS | Vol. 9 No. 6 | June 2017

37 / 48

35
SR.
FELTRE BELLUNO, ITALY
FRANCESCA
FUSINATO
W O M E N ’ S
T E N N I S
The Virginia Tech women’s tennis program will be losing a
longtime standout, as Francesca Fusinato departs following
a solid career, including a 2016-17 season in which she
played all of the Hokies’ matches out of the No. 1 spot in
the lineup.
Fusinato more than held her own facing the ACC’s
best. She went 16-8 this past season, including an 8-5
singles record in ACC play, and earned third-team All-
ACC honors. With that recognition, she closed her
career by earning All-ACC honors all four years.
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)
named Fusinato its Senior Player of the Year for the
Atlantic Region, making her the first senior in Tech
women’s tennis history to win that honor. Fusinato
played well against the very best both in non-
conference and league action, toppling seven
ranked opponents, including three ranked
inside the top 50.
Fusinato’s best singles win came against
Virginia’s Cassie Mercer, who was ranked
No. 48 nationally at the time. She knocked
off Mercer 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, and she
ultimately finished the season ranked No.
107 in the ITA women’s rankings.
Tech returns most of its lineup
from this past season, as Fusinato
was one of just two seniors on
the roster. Her absence, though,
certainly will be felt.