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Southern Conference Announces 2006 All-Conference Selections
April 21, 2006
Spartanburg, SC - The Southern Conference announced today the 2006 Men's and Women's Tennis All-Conference teams as well as the Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, Freshman of the Year and the Sportsmanship Awards. The awards are selected by the league's head tennis coaches and were honored at the honors banquet in Charleston, SC.
Elon picked up the men's freshman and coach of the year. Damon Gooch was tabbed the Freshman of the Year, finishing the regular season with a 7-2 conference record at both #1 singles and #1 doubles. Head coach Michael Leonard picked up the Coach of the Year honor after leading the Phoenix to an 8-1 record, a share of the regular season title and the top seed in the tournament. College of Charleston's Or Dekel picked up the Player of the Year award. The junior from Israel was 8-1 at #1 singles against conference opponents and a 7-2 record at #1 doubles with teammate Marcus DiGliodo.
Furman swept the women's freshman and coach of the year awards. Laura Gioia, a native of Tampa, FL, led the Lady Paladins to a perfect 9-0 record and the regular season title. She finished the season with a 6-2 conference record at #1 singles and a 7-1 record with teammate Marti Morris at #1 doubles. Head coach Debbie Southern was tabbed the Coach of the Year after capturing her sixth straight regular season title. This is her ninth coach of the year honor and fourth straight. Chattanooga's Anastasia Zhukova has been tabbed the Player of the Year on the women's side. The native of Moscow, Russia, finished the regular season with an 8-1 conference record at #1 singles and a perfect 9-0 record at #1 doubles with teammate Lindsey Ballard.
The coaches also selected the sportsmanship awards for men's and women's tennis. Furman's Ben Pauluhn received the Buddy Hartsell/Don Bunch Sportsmanship Award recipient for men's tennis. Pauluhn, a senior from Overland, MO, has started for the Paladins all four years, including a 7-2 record at #1 singles and a 5-4 record at #2 doubles in 2006. Elon's Elizabeth Kernolde and Western Carolina's Trish Hanson received the women's sportsmanship award. Kernolde is a senior from Burlington, NC, who plays at the #2 singles position and Hanson, a sophomore from Atlanta, GA, is the Lady Catamounts #1 singles player.
The Southern Conference tennis championships are being held in Charleston, SC, at the Earle Tennis Center on the campus of The Citadel and at the City of Charleston/Farmfield tennis center. The matches begin at 8:30 on Friday morning and will conclude with the championship matches at The Citadel on Sunday, April 23 beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Women's Tennis First Team All-Conference
Anja Gugger, Appalachian State
Chelsea Albertz, College of Charleston
Anastasia Zhukova, Chattanooga
Kelsey Linville, Davidson
Ellen Rogers, Wofford
Laura Gioia, Furman
Lindsey Ballard/Anastasia Zhukova, Chattanooga
Kelsey Linville/ Kim Whelan, Davidson
Laura Gioia/ Marti Morris, Furman
Second Team (by position)
#1-Lisa Suggs, UNC Greensboro
#2-Lindsey Ballard, Chattanooga
#3-Lauren Osborne, Furman
#4-Shannon Moore, Furman
#5-Bonnie Baird, Furman
#6-Lora Dushunova, Davidson
#1D-Chelsea Albertz & Peyton Ellington, College of Charleston
#2D-Jacqueline Eckert & Lauren Osborne, Furman
#3D-Lisa Bornt-Davis & Shannon Moore, Furman
Player of the Year: Anastasia Zhukova, Chattanooga
Freshman of the Year: Laura Gioia, Furman
Coach of the Year: Debbie Southern, Furman
Sportsmanship Award: Trish Hanson, Western Carolina & Elizabeth Kernolde, Elon
Men's Tennis First Team All-Conference
Men's Tennis First Team All-Conference
Or Dekel, College of Charleston
Daniel Dossettor, The Citadel
Damon Gooch, Elon
Ben Pauluhn, Furman
Andy Juc, Furman
Andrew Stubbs, Wofford
Or Dekel/ Marcus DiGliodo, College of Charleston
Daniel Dossettor/James Eason, The Citadel
Damon Gooch/ Austin Fenn, Elon
Second Team (by position)
#1- Vincent Patry, Georgia Southern
#2- Chris Barlow, Wofford
#3- James Eason, The Citadel
#4- Bo Ladyman, Furman
#5- Daniel Knause, Furman
#6- Chris Gilli, Furman
#1D- Josh Bales/ Mark Fynn, Chattanooga
#2D- Brian Crook / Bo Ladyman, Furman
#3D- Artyom Vlasenko / Badr Bouabdellah, Chattanooga
Player of the Year: Or Dekel, College of Charleston
Freshman of the Year: Damon Gooch, Elon
Coach of the Year: Michael Leonard, Elon
Buddy Hartsell Sportsmanship Award: Ben Pauluhn, Furman
