FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Sacred Heart University women's tennis great Katsiaryna Starastsenka earned the prestigious honor of being nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award after an outstanding senior season in 2024.

One of the most esteemed NCAA awards, the Woman of the Year was established in 1991 to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics. The award honors graduating female college athletes who have distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their collegiate careers.

Starastsenka was a dominant force for the Pioneers in her senior campaign, winning Northeast Conference (NEC) Player of the Year honors in 2024. The Mogilev, Belarus, native owned a league-leading .840 singles winning percentage and 21 victories on her way to a 21-4 record. She was nearly unbeatable at No. 1 doubles, going 17-1 overall and 7-1 in conference. 

In addition to being the first Pioneer tennis player to be named NEC Player of the Year, Starastsenka was a four-time All-NEC honoree and two-time NEC All-Tournament team member. 

In the classroom, Starastsenka graduated with an impressive 3.99 GPA while majoring in Finance. In recognition of her performance on the court and in the classroom, she was named the 2024 NEC women's tennis scholar-athlete winner. She was also a four-time NEC Academic and Commissioner's Honor Roll recipient and a lifelong member of Phi Kappa Phi and Beta Gamma Sigma, all while serving as a Resident Assistant, a Classroom Learning Assistant for Critical Thinking, and a volunteer youth tennis coach.