Feb. 25, 2009

Feb. 25 Women's Tennis Notebook

IRVING, Texas - SMU junior Nicole Briceño, the 2008 C-USA Newcomer of the Year, is the Women's Tennis Player of the Week. Briceño helped SMU to an impressive win over No. 62 N.C. State last week and improved her doubles record to 9-1 on the spring.

WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE WEEK (2/24)
NICOLE BRICEÑO - SMU
Jr., Pembroke Pines, Fla. (Alabama)
Briceño helped the Mustangs to an impressive 5-2 win over No. 62 N.C. State on Friday. The junior began the day by securing a doubles victory at No. 2 with partner Kseniia Tokarieva (8-2) over Neils Barringer and Diana Mortlock to extend their winning streak to six and improved the pair's dual match doubles record to 8-1. Later in singles, Briceño toppled Barringer in straight sets at No. 3, 6-4, 6-4. The native of Florida is now 6-2 overall in singles with wins over oppnents from UT-Dallas, then-No.23 LSU and league foes, Memphis, Southern Miss and Tulane. Her efforts have helped SMU to a 12-2 record overall and a perfect 3-0 mark against C-USA opponents. This is the second career weekly honor for Briceño and her second in 2009 (Jan. 10).

WEEKLY AWARDS
Conference USA will name a male and female tennis Athlete of the Week throughout the regular season. The weekly accolades are selected by the media relations department and announced every Tuesday throughout the season.

J29 - Kellie Schmitt, Marshall
J27 - Alexandra Kichoutkin, Tulsa
F3 - Kellie Schmitt, Marshall
F10 - Nicole Briceno, SMU
F17 - Natalia Bubien, SMU
J24 - Nicole Briceno, SMU

OTHER NOTABLE C-USA TENNIS PERFORMANCES
LYNLEY WASSON - Houston
Sr., Tempe, Ariz.
Wasson was a steady performer for the Cougars last week as she went 2-0 in singles to help UH down league foes Tulane and Memphis. She won both of her matches in straight sets to help her team improve its spring dual match record to 12-1.

JESSICA KEENER - Marshall
Sr., Reston, Va.
Keener won at No. 5 singles against Karoline Steiro of No. 29 Virginia, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. At the No. 1 doubles line with teammate Deanna Bailey, the pair fell to the No. 46 tandem of Stevens/Fraser, 8-1.

ASHLEY MURDOCK - Memphis
Jr., Memphis, Tenn.
Murdock picked up two wins at Nos. 1 and 2 singles last week to continue Memphis' best start to a season in 10 years. She downed Martina Banikova of No. 67 Mississippi State, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 and then toppled Houston's Joanna Kacprzyk, 7-6, 6-4. The junior is 9-4 in singles this spring.

THALIA DIAZ-BARRIGA - Tulsa
Sr., Cordoba, Veracruz, Mexico
Diaz-Barriga helped guide TU to three wins last week over Pacific, Indiana State and Oklahoma Baptist. She went 2-1 in singles at the No. 3 line to move into 5th place on TU's all-time career singles wins list (71). The senior went 3-0 in doubles, 2-0 at No. 1, to move into second place on the school's all-time career doubles wins list (80).

WEEKLY RELEASE
The Conference USA media relations staff will produce a weekly release each Tuesday throughout the season, including Athlete of the Week selections and updated standings. Complete league statistics and results will be updated daily throughout the season on the Conference website.

ON THE WEB
For the latest Conference USA tennis match recaps, scores, standings, stats and weekly notebooks please log on to the league's official website: www.ConferenceUSA.com