Tuesday, May 02, 2006

MACON, Ga. - Atlantic Sun women's tennis champion ETSU headlines the All-Conference team as voted by the league's 11 head coaches.

The Lady Bucs had a total of seven student-athletes named to the first, second and all-freshmen teams. Masha Ilina (Kyiv, Ukraine) was voted first team All-Atlantic Sun and Player of the Year, while teammate Tara Byrne (Johnson City, Tenn.) received Freshman of the Year and head coach Steve Brooks was named Coach of the Year.

Ilina dominated all season in the No. 1 position for ETSU. She went 27-13 for the season, 12-9 at No.1 and 3-0 at No. 2. She went undefeated in conference play and was 17-7 in doubles play. Ilina did not drop one set against conference opponents in the regular season or in the tournament.

Joining her on the All-Conference first team are teammates Olya Batsula (Minsk, Belarus) and Sandie Knight (Adamstown, Australia). Batsula is 26-9 overall and has played in various positions, with the majority of her wins coming in the No. 2 spot (10-1). She posted a 28-9 doubles record.

Knight capped off a great senior season capturing 32 singles victories and only nine losses. She went 8-0 against conference foes and 24-10 in doubles play. Knight teamed up with three different partners during the season. She also earned A-Sun Player of the Week honors this season.

Byrne not only was voted Freshman of the Year, but was selected unanimously to the All-Freshman team and second team All-Atlantic Sun. The rookie posted a 28-11 overall and went 8-6 in the tournament.

Jacksonville placed two on the All-Atlantic Sun first team. Emese Sulyos (Szolnok, Hungary) and Lena Willi (Freiburg, Germany).

Sulyos went 13-1 overall in No. 1 singles and 5-0 in doubles with Willi. In No. 2 singles, Willi was 12-2 overall.

Stetson's Mili Milovanovic was the only unanimous All-Atlantic Sun first team pick. The Kilchberg, Switzerland native was 16-10 in No. 1 singles and undefeated in conference play and 15-9 overall in doubles play.

Another A-Sun Player of the Week honoree, Campbell's Iva Stojancev (Belgrade, Serbia) was named first team All-Atlantic Sun after a 21-4 season. She was 17-2 in No. 2 singles and 2-0 in from the No. 3 position. Stojancev is 14-9 in doubles with three teammates.

Rounding out the first team are Mercer's Teresina Pazsoldan (Santa Cruz, Bolivia) and Belmont's Linda Johansson (Malmo, Sweeden).

Pazsoldan posted a 9-8 singles record, playing the 1, 2 and 3 positions and
went 8-6 in No.1 and No. 2 doubles with Kelly Blount. Johansson went 5-8 in singles regular season play and 8-5 in doubles with Tatiana Pozo.

A link to the complete All-Conference list is below.