Colorado University Athletics
Three Tennis Players Named All-Big 12, Coach Winterbotham Named Co-Big 12 Coach of the Year
DALLAS ? A trio of University of Colorado tennis players and a men’s doubles tandem were named to the All-Big 12 men’s and women’s teams, in addition to men’s tennis head coach Sam Winterbotham as Co-Big 12 Coach of the Year, announced by the conference office Monday.
The All-Big 12 honors are selected by the league’s head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Senior Jessica Vanderdys earns her first conference singles honor and was the lone CU women’s player to make the team. Last year, Vanderdys was named to the doubles team. The Centreville,
Making the men’s team for the first time were juniors Peter Bjork and Eric Molnar.
Bjork and Molnar won a team-best 27 and 25 singles victories, respectively for the No. 23 nationally ranked Buffaloes (19-8). The No. 23 ranking released Monday morning by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association is the highest ranking ever for a men’s tennis team in school history.
Bjork and Molnar are the first CU pair to be named All-Big 12 Conference in the same season.
Bjork’s 27 singles victories are the most of any CU player since Stefan Figley went 27-7 in 1991-92. The
Molnar, a transfer from
Also making the team as a doubles pair for the first time was Molnar and senior Marko Bundalo. The tandem engineered a 4-2 record against conference opponents at the No. 1 slot.
Coach Winterbotham, the CU men’s head coach the last four years, earns his first conference honor sharing the award with
Winterbotham led CU to a third-place finish in the league standings (5-2 record) as the Buffaloes had their most conference wins since 1998.
Center led the Longhorns to a share of the Big 12 regular season title with a 6-1 mark, as well as the postseason championship.
The CU men, winners of 10 of their last 13 matches, are coming off their first conference semifinal appearance in 10 years await the NCAA Tournament selection that will be announced this Wednesday, May 3. The men’s announcement will begin at approximately 6:30 p.m. Mountain time. ESPNEWS is located on DirecTV channel 207/DishNetwork channel 142. In addition, the ESPNEWS audio signal is available on the ESPNEWS channel on XM Radio and SIRIUS Radio.
MEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Travis Helgeson,
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Ivan Puchkarov,
FRESHMEN OF THE YEAR
COACHES OF THE YEAR
Sam Winterbotham,
Michael Center, Texas, 6th season
ALL-BIG 12 TEAM
Singles
Michal Kokta, Baylor, Jr.
Lars Poerschke, Baylor, So.**
Peter
Eric
Daniel Byrnes,
Ivan Puchkarov,
Roger Gubser,
Travis Helgeson,
Jerry Makowski,
Doubles
Lars Poerschke/Michal Kokta, Baylor**
Marko Bundalo/Eric Molnar,
Jerry Posch/Mark Tate,
Marek Velicka/Alexei Ivanov,
Daniel Byrnes/Nathan
Callum Beale/Miguel Reyes Varela,
** - unanimous Selection
A tie in the voting created an additional singles position
2006 ALL-BIG 12 TENNIS AWARDS
WOMEN’S TENNIS
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zuzana Zemenova, Baylor, So.**
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Sarah Foster,
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Kim
COACH OF THE YEAR
Joey Scrivano, Baylor, 7th season
ALL-BIG 12 TEAM
Singles
Zuzana Cerna, Baylor, Jr.
Zuzana Zemenova, Baylor, So.**
Jessica
Tamar Kvaratskhelia,
Kim
Gabby Baker,
Mia
Sarah Foster,
Anna
Tara Browning,
Doubles
Zuzana Cerna/Klara Zrustova, Baylor
Ksenia Bukina/
Mia Marovic/Courtney Zauft,
Tiffany Clifford/Sarah Foster,
Nicki Mechem/Anna Lubinsky,
Tara Browning/
** - unanimous Selection
A tie in the voting created an additional singles position