SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Throughout the summer, the Sacramento State athletics department will take a look back and honor the student-athletes who have made the biggest impact on their sport over the last 10 years.
To be eligible for the all-decade team, a student-athlete must have competed at least one year in their sport between the 2000-01 and 2009-10 academic years, and must have completed their eligibility as a Hornet, or be an active member of the team.
Today marks the announcement of the women’s tennis all-decade team. The squad consists of six players listed in alphabetical order.
Marta Gronowicz (2000-04)
A four-year letterwinner for the Hornets, Gronowicz was a three-time all-Big Sky selection, and twice earned first team all-conference honors. A native of Saskatoon, Canada, Gronowicz compiled a record of 55-36, while primarily competing at the No. 2 singles position. Over her final three campaigns, Gronowicz also excelled in doubles play, posting a 44-23 record in the number one position. As a senior in 2004, Gronowicz posted a 6-4, 7-5, victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, leading the Hornets to a near upset of Fresno State. During her final campaign, Gronowicz was 17-9 in singles action, which included an eight match winning streak.
Cecilla Helland (2004-07)
A four-time all-Big Sky honoree, Helland earned first team all-conference honors during her final three seasons, and posted career records of 80-13 in singles play and 49-17 in doubles action. As a senior in 2007, Helland won her final 22 matches of the season and finished with a career best record of 22-1. That included a 6-1, 6-0, victory over Stanford at No. 6 singles in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and an incredible 21 straight-set victories over the year. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Helland was a four-time Big Sky Player of the Week honoree, earning the award twice in her final season. As a sophomore in 2005, Helland posted a 23-3 record, which included a 19 match winning streak at one point in the season.
Margarita Karnaukhova (2003-06)
A four-year letterwinner at Sacramento State, Karnaukhova became the first student-athlete in the history of the Big Sky Conference to earn four-consecutive conference MVP awards. She finished her career with a 66-17 mark, while becoming the program’s first All-American after reaching the Sweet 16 of the singles championships in 2004. A native of Krasnodar, Russia, Karnaukhova was a seven time Big Sky Player of the Week award winner, earning the second most awards of any Hornet in program history. She was ranked as high as 14th in the nation during her career at Sacramento State, and never lost a Big Sky Conference match. Kaurnaukhova led the Hornets to four straight Big Sky Championships.
Gabriella Lundquist (2001-02)
A two-time first team all-Big Sky performer, Lundquist was the Hornets No. 1 singles player during her two years in the Green and Gold, posting 25 career victories. Lundqvist, who earned conference player of the week honors twice as a junior, finished the 2001 season with a 13-8 record, including 11-8 at No. 1 and 1-0 at both the Nos. 2 and 3 slots. The Bastad, Sweden, native went 12-11 overall in 2002, including a 10-8 record at No. 1 singles in leading the Hornets to their first Big Sky title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
Joyce Martinez Gutierrez (2006-09)
A four-time all-Big Sky honoree, Martinez Gutierrez posted a career 65-27 singles record in dual matches, and twice went undefeated in Big Sky play. As a senior in 2009, Martinez Gutierrez collected a 19-6 record in singles and an 18-7 doubles mark, and posted her first career NCAA Tournament singles win with a 6-0, 6-2, triumph in the Hornets first round matchup against Michigan. The Azitapan, Mexico, native finished her final three seasons strong, winning her last seven regular season matches in 2009, eight in 2008 and nine in 2007. She finished her career with four Big Sky Player of the Week awards, three honorable mention all-conferences honors and a first team all-conference nod as a freshman in 2006.
Katrina Zheltova (2007-10)
Zheltova earned Big Sky MVP honors during her first three seasons in the Green and Gold, and became the programs' second All-American in 2008, reaching the round of 16 at the NCAA Tournament. In 2008 and 2009, Zheltova did not lose a set in Big Sky play, and for her career Zheltova went undefeated against Big Sky competition. Slowed by injuries during her senior campaign, the Minsk, Belarus, native still posted an 8-3 mark, which included a straight set victory over No. 4 ranked Denise Dy of Washington and a three set loss to Cal's Jana Juricova, who finished the season as the runner-up at the NCAA Championships. She was ranked as high as No. 21 in the nation during her career, and collected a career 52-17 mark in singles play, all at the No. 1 position.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Throughout the summer, the Sacramento State athletics department will take a look back and honor the student-athletes who have made the biggest impact on their sport over the last 10 years.
