April 28, 2006

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -

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Junior Ashley Jakupcin earned second-team all-MAC honors after finishing 4-4 in the conference at the No. 1 flight. The Dublin, Ohio native finished the regular season with 12 wins at the No. 1 position and combined for 22 wins overall.

Jakupcin was also honored last season as a second-team pick.

Jakupcin was the lone Falcon to earn all-MAC honors

Joining Jakupcin on the second-team are Leda Pesatova from Miami, Jenny Edner of Northern Illinois, Reedhina Parekh of Western Michigan and Toledo teammates Myriam Cueva and Eunice Paravicini.

Among those honored on the first-team were Malena Remynse and Carrie Jeanmarie of Western Michigan and Andreea Novaceanu and Miglena Nenova of Buffalo. Ball State's Jessica Thompson and Miami's Kathy Lomidze rounded out the first-team selections as voted on by league head coaches.

Malena Remynse was honored as the Player of the Year. Remynse compiled a 4-0 MAC record and 18-10 overall mark at No. 1 singles and a 6-2 league slate and 22-16 overall mark at No. 1 doubles is leading the Broncos to a perfect 8-0 MAC record. Her teammate, Kerstin Pahl, was recognized as the Freshman of the Year.

Coach of the Year goes to Buffalo's Kathy Twist. Twist, in her 10th year at UB, guided the Bulls to their highest ever MAC finish at 6-2,tying for second place with Miami. The Bulls earned the MAC Tournament's No. 2 seed.

The Leann Grimes Davidge Sportsmanship award went to Akron freshman Tanya Gombera. Gombera, a native of Horare, Zimbabwe, became the third player in school history to be honored with the sportsmanship award. The Zips' Colleen Hollowel won the award in 1997 and Grace deGuia in 1998. The sportsmanship award is voted on by the student-athletes from each school based on a player who has displayed outstanding sportsmanship in MAC competition.

The award is named in honor of Leann Grimes Davidge, who served as Miami's women's tennis coach from 1978 until her tragic death in an automobile accident in January 1985. During her years as head coach, Miami won three outright MAC championships and shared another. She was chosen as the MAC Coach of the Year by her peers in 1981 and 1983.

First Team All-MAC
Jessica Thompson Ball State (Jr.)
Andreea Novaceanu# Buffalo (So.)
Miglena Nenova% & Buffalo (Jr.)
Katrina Lomidze Miami (Jr.)
Malena Remynse% Western Michigan (Sr.)
Carrie Jeanmarie* Western Michigan (Jr.)

Second Team All-MAC
Ashley Jakupcin% Bowling Green (Jr.)
Leda Pesatova Miami (So)
Jenny Edner Northern Illinois (Fr.)
Myriam Cueva# Toledo (Jr.)
Eunice Paravicini Toledo (Sr.)
Reedhina Parekh Western Michigan (Sr.)

# 2005 first-team all-MAC
% 2005 second-team all-MAC
& 2004 first-team all-MAC
* 2004 second-team all-MAC

Specialty Awards
Player of the Year- Malena Remynse, Western Michigan
Freshman of the Year- Kerstin Pahl, Western Michigan
Coach of the Year- Kathy Twist, Buffalo
Leann Grimes Davidge Sportsmanship Award- Tanya Gombera, Akron

Some information courtesy of the Mid-American Conference