UAB's Vladulescu, UC's Molony Head All-Conference Team
6.20.2000
UAB's Vladulescu, UC's Molony Head All-Conference Team
CHICAGO - For the second consecutive season, Conference USA's Most Valuable Player and Coach of the Year hail from the same school. Junior's MIRELA VLADULESCU of UAB and KARA MOLONY of Cincinnati head the list of All-Conference USA women's tennis players by being named co-C-USA Tennis MVP's for the 2000 season, while Blazer head coach MERT ERTUNGA received the Conference USA Coach of the Year award for the second time in his career. DePaul freshman netter SZILVIA KELEMEN was tabbed the C-USA Freshman of the Year after her standout inaugural campaign. Awards were chosen in a vote of the league's head coaches.
Vladulesco helped lead UAB to a second-place finish at this year's C-USA championship. Currently ranked No. 89 in the nation in singles in the latest ITA rankings, Vladulesco racked up an 18-2 singles record this season playing in the Blazers No. 1 position. Her career record now stands at 84-14.
Molony, who is currently ranked No. 83 in the latest ITA rankings, recorded the new school season record for victories with a 36-4 mark on the season, including wins over five nationally ranked opponents. The junior netter also established the new career singles win mark with 86, 15 more than the previous mark. Molony currently holds a 19-match winning streak, dropping only one set during the streak.
Ertunga led No. 70 UAB to its second runner-up finish in Conference USA tournament play, after capturing the C-USA title in 1996. A previous two-time Great Midwest Coach of the Year, Ertunga has led the Blazers to a 110-64 record (.632) in his eight-year career. This marks the second time that Ertunga has been selected by his peers for the C-USA coaching honor. He was also named Coach of the Year after the 1996 campaign.
Vladulesco and MONIKA SCHMID of UAB were the only two teammates named first team All-Conference USA, joining Marquette's ELISA PENALVO who garnered her fourth first-team all-conference award. Repeat first-team performers KATHRINE TESSIER of C-USA champion South Florida and Tulane's ANNA MONHARTOVA were also honored.
Second team All-Conference USA honorees were: LAURA TAYLOR and BARBARA FUZESI of DePaul, South Florida's TINA HARRISON and GENIVIEVE HOULE, Marquette's SARA FERNANDEZ, and CHRISTINA LADYMAN of Memphis.
Players receiving third team All-Conference USA included: Houston's GALINA SELIOUNINA, Tulane's MAIKO COOK, Louisville's KATIE MCLAUGHLIN, Marquette's LAURA GARCIA, SABRINA LINDEMAN of Memphis, and ALMUT GAUDE of Southern Miss.
2000 CONFERENCE USA WOMEN'S TENNIS POSTSEASON AWARDS
First Team All-Conference Second Team All-Conference Third Team All-Conference Most Valuable Players Freshman of the Year Coach of the Year
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