Nov. 11, 2008
C-USA Tennis Players of the Month 
IRVING, Texas – Reigning three-time Conference USA Men’s Tennis Player of the Year and All-American Arnau Brugues of Tulsa claims the final monthly Men’s Tennis award of the 2008 fall season. Brugues won the singles championships at the ITA Central Region Championships on Oct. 20, collecting a perfect 6-0 record before advancing to the semifinals in both the singles and doubles at the ITA National Indoor Championships last weekend. Marshall’s Kelly Schmitt earned the number one seed in both singles and doubles at the East Regional Championships and fifth annual Kitty Harrison Invitational to claim the final monthly Women’s tennis award of the 2008 season.
MEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE MONTH (OCT./NOV.)
ARNAU BRUGUES - Tulsa
Sr., Barcelona, Spain (University of Barcelona)
Brugues, ranked No. 6 in the initial ITA singles rankings, finished the season with a 16-3 singles record. He holds a 9-3 record against ranked opponents. The senior earned a perfect 6-0 record at the ITA Central Region Championships, including two wins over nationally-ranked opponents. Brugues defeated No. 20 Michael Venus from LSU, who won the ITA D’Novo All-American singles title, and 11th-ranked Steven Moneke of Ohio State. The All-American also finished the fall season with a 6-2 doubles record with partner Philip Stephens, including five wins over nationally-ranked opponents. The duo defeated eighth-ranked Jamie Hunt and Nate Schnugg of Mississippi and 26th-ranked Austen Childs and Simon Childs of Louisville to advance to the semifinals, but were unable to overcome the power of No. 2 Steve Forman and Cory Parr of Wake Forest. The monthly award is Brugues second consecutive honor.
WOMEN’S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE MONTH (OCT./NOV.)
Kellie Schmitt – MARSHALL
Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa. (Bethel Park)
Schmitt finished 10-5 in singles play and 11-6 in doubles for the 2008 fall season. The senior earned an automatic bid to the first round of the main draw at the fifth annual Kitty Harrison Invitational as the number one seed. During singles action, Schmitt advanced to the fourth round before falling in three sets to Princeton’s Lauren McHale. In doubles play, Schmitt teamed up with Karolina Soor at the East Regional Championships and the fifth annual Kitty Harrison Invitational. The senior tandem advanced to the doubles main draw quarterfinal as the number one seed at the East Regional Championships before falling to Jennifer Stevens and Emily Fraser of the University of Virginia. At the Kitty Harrison Invitational, the duo went 2-1 with wins over team from Duke and Maryland. The monthly award is the fourth of Schmitt’s career.
