Kauss named Big Ten Athlete of the Week

IU sophomore Alecia Kauss was named the Big Ten women’s tennis Athlete of the Week on Tuesday.

Kauss, a native of Overland Park, Kan., earned the honor after winning all seven of her matches in the adidas IU Winter Invitational, which was held at the IU Tennis Center over the weekend. It is her first time being recognized as Big Ten women’s tennis Athlete of the Week.

She went 2-0 in singles play, with straight-set wins against Bowling Green’s Nikki Chiricosta 6-4, 6-2 and Missouri’s Rachel Stuhlman 7-5, 6-3.

The sophomore had five doubles victories with three different teammates over the weekend as well. Kauss and sophomore Shannon Murdy defeated Bowling Green’s Maddy Eccleston/Katie Grubb 9-8 (5).

Along with fellow sophomore Katie Kylczek, she topped Missouri’s Cierra Gaytan-Leach/Elisha Gabb 9-7 and Rocio Diaz/Erin Gebes of Marquette 8-6.

With junior Sophie Garre as her doubles partner, Kauss won matches against Marquette’s Aleeza Kanner/Gebes 8-2 and Gaytan-Leach/Gabb 9-8 (6).

Kauss is coming off of a freshman year in which she went 21-15 in singles play and 21-9 in doubles matches. In her 2012-13 campaign, she is 6-4 in singles, with two losses to nationally ranked opponents, and 11-3 in doubles matches.

The Hoosiers will be back in action this Saturday when they travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to face Miami (OH) and Cincinnati in the first dual matches of the spring season.

- Andy Wittry