PLANO, Texas - After recording its highest-ever finish in the Southland Conference regular season standings, the Southeastern women's tennis team placed all six starters on the 2005 All-Southland Conference Women's Tennis Teams, which were released by the league office on Thursday.
Southeastern (17-6, 9-1 SLC) finished the season in second place in the SLC standings and will be the second seed in this weekend's Southland Conference Tournament in San Antonio, Texas. The Lady Lions received an opening round bye and will face the winner of Friday's first-round match between McNeese State and Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
On Thursday, Southeastern received its first-ever First Team All-SLC recognition, as the No. 2 doubles team of Emilija Arnaudovska and Zdenka Puflerova were given the first-team nod. Arnaudovska, a freshman from Skopje, Macedonia, and Puflerova, a senior from Horni Slavkov, Czech Republic, finished 15-3 overall and 8-2 in Southland Conference play. The 15 wins tied a school-record for single-season doubles victories.
Arnaudovska, who finished the season with a 19-3 overall record and a 9-1 Southland Conference mark was named to the All-SLC second team at No. 2 singles. Arnaudovska was joined on the second team by Nina Knavs, a freshman from Ljubljana, Slovenia, who earned a spot at No. 4 after finishing 14-8 overall and 7-3 in SLC play.
All three Southeastern doubles teams were named to the All-SLC team. Knavs and fellow Ljubljana, Slovenia native Breda Kovac were named to the second team at No. 1 doubles, after tying the school record for single-season doubles victories, finishing 15-6 overall and 8-2 in SLC play. Jana Simurkova, a freshman from the Slovac Republic, and Bonnie Phillips, a freshman from TePuke, New Zealand, recorded an 11-4 record in doubles play (6-2 in the SLC) and were the second team selection at No. 3 doubles.
Texas-Arlington's Pavla Mesterova became the first person in league history to be named Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year in the same season. Sam Houston State's Lata Assudani was tabbed Newcomer of the Year, while UTA's Christian Wassmer took home Coach of the Year honors.
2005 ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
SINGLES
No. 1 #Pavla Mesterova, Texas-Arlington, Fr., Prague, Czech Republic
No. 2 #Nataliya Ostrovska, Louisiana-Monroe, Sr., Kiev, Ukraine
No. 3 #Monika Peciulionyte, Texas-Arlington, So., Siauliai, Lithuania
No. 4 Madeleine Hakansson, McNeese State, So., Gothenburg, Sweden
No. 5 #Ann Grobbelaar, McNeese State, Jr., Craddock, South Africa
No. 6 #Marina Gando, McNeese State, Sr., Buenos Aires, Argentina
DOUBLES
No. 1 Andrea Martinez, Lamar, So., Durango, Mexico
Tara Shelander, Lamar, So., Beaumont, Texas
No. 2 Emilija Arnaudovska, Southeastern La., Fr., Skopje, Macedonia
Zdenka Puflerova, Southeastern La., Sr., Horni Slavkov, Czech Republic
No. 3 #Magali Risoleo, McNeese State, Sr., Buenos Aires, Argentina
#Urska Dobersek, McNeese State, Sr., Makole, Slovenia
SECOND TEAM
SINGLES
No. 1 Andrea Martinez, Lamar, So., Durango, Mexico
No. 2 Emilija Arnaudovska, Southeastern La., Fr., Skopje, Macedonia
No. 3 Hayley Bakker, Lamar, Sr., Melbourne, Australia
No. 4 Nina Knavs, Southeastern La., Fr., Ljubljana, Slovenia
No. 5 Tina Klemenc, Texas State, Sr., Zjorna Lipnica, Slovenia
No. 6 Kama Scott, Stephen F. Austin, Jr., Abilene, Texas
DOUBLES
No. 1 Breda Kovac, Southeastern La., Fr., Ljubljana, Slovenia
Nina Knavs, Southeastern La., Fr., Ljubljana, Slovenia
No. 2 Nadezda Rossikhina, Texas-San Antonio, Jr., LaPlata, Argentina
Tanya Hasking, Texas-San Antonio, Fr., Basingstoke, England
No. 3 Jana Simurkova, Southeastern La., Fr., Slovac Republic
Bonnie Phillips, Southeastern La., Fr., TePuke, New Zealand
#Automatic first team based on undefeated conference record at position nominated.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Pavla Mesterova, Texas-Arlington
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Pavla Mesterova, Texas-Arlington
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Lata Assundani, Sam Houston State
COACH OF THE YEAR: Christian Wassmer, Texas-Arlington
