Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Macon, Ga. -- Karen Bellman has become just the second recipient in the history of the Mercer women's tennis program to be named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Week, league officials announced today. Bellman's honor follows a week in which she posted a 4-0 single record, including three wins over conference opponents.

Bellman, a junior mechanical engineering major from Jacksonville, Fla., earned four singles victories and extended her personal winning streak to five matches despite going 1-3 as a team over that stretch.

After helping Mercer snap a nine-match losing streak, Bellman continued her success with a win over Florida A&M's Samaria Bailey (6-1, 6-2) on March 20. The Bears had three conference matches over the weekend against Gardner-Webb, Lipscomb and Stetson. Bellman earned wins in all three, defeating GWU's Carol Pancia (7-5, 6-1), Lipscomb's Caitlin Khouri (6-2, 6-0) and Stetson's Katherine St. Clair (6-4, 6-4).

The award is the first of its kind for Bellman, who becomes just the second Mercer student-athlete to be honored as the POTW. Bellman joins Kelly Blount, who was honored as the A-Sun Player of the Week on Feb. 21, 2006.

The Atlantic Sun Player of the Week is announced every Tuesday during the 2007 tennis season.

The 12-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, UNF and Stetson with Florida Gulf Coast and USC Upstate beginning competition in 2007-08.