Northwestern University Athletics
Photo by: Sage Zipeto/Northwestern Athletics
Phanthala Earns Unanimous Big Ten All-Freshman Team Honors
4/22/2026 2:00:00 PM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. - First-year Margot Phanthala has been unanimously named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team, the conference announced Tuesday. Phanthala also earned second team All-Big Ten honors following her first season in Evanston.
Spending the entirety of her season playing No. 1 singles, Phanthala was ranked as high as No. 39 in the country. Her non-conference campaign was highlighted by a straight-set victory over then-No. 34 Vivian Yang in the match against Virginia, and she most recently defeated No. 101 Oliwia Orlinska in Northwestern's battle with No. 45 Maryland.
Phanthala's first-year campaign netted her two Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards, first during fall play after defeating then-No. 10 Piper Charney, and again on January 21 following a perfect opening weekend of dual play.
Phanthala also excelled in doubles action, paired primarily with Erica Jessel. The duo climbed as high as No. 27 in the national doubles rankings, racking up six victories against ITA-ranked opponents during the dual season. Jessel and Phanthala played to a 7-5 Big Ten record together, punctuated with an emphatic 6-1 victory over the then-No. 35 duo in the ITA rankings, Olivia Center and Kate Fakih, in the team's April 12 meeting with UCLA.
Phanthala is the first Northwestern first-year to earn All-Freshman Team honors after the award was originated in 2025.
Also part of Tuesday's announcement was Autumn Rabjohns, who earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for her conduct on and off the court. The junior appeared in 24 of Northwestern's 25 dual matches, including all 13 Big Ten contests. She played to a 12-7 singles record during the regular season.
Phanthala, Rabjohns and the 'Cats will be back in action tomorrow at the Big Ten Women's Tennis Tournament, taking on No. 7 seed Maryland in the tournament's first round. First serve from the Ty Tucker Tennis Center in Columbus, Ohio, is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
Spending the entirety of her season playing No. 1 singles, Phanthala was ranked as high as No. 39 in the country. Her non-conference campaign was highlighted by a straight-set victory over then-No. 34 Vivian Yang in the match against Virginia, and she most recently defeated No. 101 Oliwia Orlinska in Northwestern's battle with No. 45 Maryland.
Phanthala's first-year campaign netted her two Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards, first during fall play after defeating then-No. 10 Piper Charney, and again on January 21 following a perfect opening weekend of dual play.
Phanthala also excelled in doubles action, paired primarily with Erica Jessel. The duo climbed as high as No. 27 in the national doubles rankings, racking up six victories against ITA-ranked opponents during the dual season. Jessel and Phanthala played to a 7-5 Big Ten record together, punctuated with an emphatic 6-1 victory over the then-No. 35 duo in the ITA rankings, Olivia Center and Kate Fakih, in the team's April 12 meeting with UCLA.
Phanthala is the first Northwestern first-year to earn All-Freshman Team honors after the award was originated in 2025.
Also part of Tuesday's announcement was Autumn Rabjohns, who earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for her conduct on and off the court. The junior appeared in 24 of Northwestern's 25 dual matches, including all 13 Big Ten contests. She played to a 12-7 singles record during the regular season.
Phanthala, Rabjohns and the 'Cats will be back in action tomorrow at the Big Ten Women's Tennis Tournament, taking on No. 7 seed Maryland in the tournament's first round. First serve from the Ty Tucker Tennis Center in Columbus, Ohio, is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on B1G+.
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