ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy women's tennis captain Stella Ribaudo was selected as the Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award winner for the Atlantic Region by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), the organization announced Wednesday.
 
The recent graduate becomes the fourth individual in program history to win the regional award after Stefanie Ton was the Arthur Ashe Award winner in 2013, Catalina Rico claimed the honor in 2019 Meghana Komarraju took home the accolade in 2022.
 
The award recognizes outstanding individuals in all divisions at the regional and national level. This award, which dates back to 1982, goes to NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO men's and women's players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
 
The national award winners will be announced on Thursday, June 13.
 
Despite battling through injuries, Ribaudo was a heavy presence during the Mids' run to their first Patriot League title. The senior posted a 14-15 singles mark and 11-8 doubles record on the season, representing the team alongside Tannenbaum at the Milwaukee Tennis Classic and San Diego Veterans Tennis Classic for the second-straight season. Additionally, Ribaudo helped mentor many of the underclassmen who developed into key pieces of the championship squad, including a 3-2 mark in doubles play when playing with freshmen and leading by example through a 2-0 record at the top singles spot.
 
For her career, the Chicago native posted a 55-41 singles record and a 38-22 doubles mark while also taking home Academic All-Patriot League honors in 2023.