Four USF Women Named to All-Conference USA Tennis

[MatRatUSF]

(April 29, 2005) Tampa, Fla. -- USF’s number one singles player Neyssa Etienne leads a group of four of Coach Gigi Fernandez’s players to earn all-Conference USA honors. Etienne earned distinction on the first team, while Courtney Vernon was named to the second team and Liz Cruz and Gabriela Duch earned third team honors.

Etienne was 13-4 in singles this year, including wins in each of her three matches at the Conference USA Championship, leading the Bulls to a third place finish. Along with Duch, Etienne was 10-3 in doubles.

Vernon finished the season with an 11-5 record, playing all but one of those matches at number two singles.

Cruz compiled a 21-6 singles record while playing at the three, four and five spots, and Duch was 18-9, playing mostly at number three.

Conference USA women's tennis players will now wait for the NCAA selection show that will take place on Wednesday, May 4, approximately 4:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPNEWS. Individuals chosen for the singles and doubles championships will be announced on May 5 by 5 p.m. on the NCAA's Web site. First- and second-round team competition takes place on May 13-15 at 16 campus sites that have yet to be determined.

The 16 teams advancing past the first and second rounds travel to Athens, Ga., to finish the remainder of the tournament over May 19-22. The NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships begin May 23 and conclude May 28.

2005 Conference USA Women's Tennis Awards

First Team All-Conference

Helena Besovic, TCU

Ana Cetnik, TCU

Neyssa Etienne, USF

Maria Ivanov, Tulane

Jenny Kuehn, Tulane

Story Tweedie-Yates, TCU

Second Team All-Conference

Beatrix Csordas, DePaul

Biljana Dimovska, Houston

Darya Ivanov, Tulane

Marina Parashkevova, DePaul

Julie Smekodub, Tulane

Courtney Vernon, USF

Third Team All-Conference

Liz Cruz, USF

Gabriela Duch, USF

Nancy Kockott, Tulane

Kami Miller, Houston

Kewa Nichols, TCU

Robyn White, Louisville

Coach of the Year

David Schumacher, Tulane

Player of the Year

Story Tweedie-Yates, TCU

Freshman of the Year

Beatrix Csordas, DePaul

Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship

Story Tweedie-Yates, TCU

Outstanding Doubles Team of the Championship

Maria and Darya Ivanov, TCU