May 1, 2007

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IRVING, Texas - Conference USA announced its 2007 All-Conference first, second and third teams along with postseason award winners for women's tennis today, as selected by the conference's head coaches. Marshall sophomore Kellie Schmitt earned C-USA Player of the Year and All-League first-team recognition. Schmitt is currently C-USA's only ranked singles player, coming in at No. 75 in the latest FILA/ITA rankings. Tulsa head coach Dean Orford, was named Coach of the Year after leading his team to its first conference championship in program history and third overall NCAA appearance.

Schmitt is 18-6 in singles this sspring, including a 3-2 mark against ranked opponents. She carries a 17-11 doubles record in dual matches, with most of her action coming at the No. 1 doubles line. Schmitt was ranked as high at No. 18 and the sophomore was also named C-USA Women's Tennis Player of the Week two times this season.

Orford led his team to a 21-4 dual match mark in 2007, one of the best records in program history. His team cut through the 2007 championship in impressive fashion, outscoring its opponents 12-1 over its three matches. Overall in 2007, the Golden Hurricane finished 15-2 at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center and 9-1 versus opponents in its region.

Tulsa's Santie Delport was named C-USA Outstanding Singles Player of the Championship and also garnered first-team recognition. The senior helped secure the league title with three straight-set wins at the No. 2 singles position. Her 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 win over Karolina Soor of Marshall in the championship match clinched the 4-0 win for TU. Delport also went 3-0 at No. 2 doubles with partner Marta Marcinkowska.

Kindsay Grimes and Carla Zabaleta playeed at the top doubles spot for TU during the championship and secured two doubles points en route to earning the title of Outstanding Doubles Team of the Championship. The pair earned an 8-2 win against Southern Miss and also grabbed the critical 8-5 in the championship match against Marshall to help give their team the early 1-0 lead.

Rice freshman Julie Chao, who won 10 matches in 2007 at the No. 1 spot for the Owls, claimed C-USA's Freshman of the Year honor. She won a critical match against SMU in the conference championship second round at the top spot and was leading No. 75 Schmitt in Rice's semifinal match before play was halted. Newcomer of the Year honors went to junior Leila Salek of Houston. The transfer from Tyler Junior College saw most of her action at the top of the Cougars' lineup and finished the spring with a team-best 17-5 record. Salek was 4-1 in conference matches and 5-3 at the top spot for UH and 12-2 at the No. 2 position.

Five league teams were represented on the all-league first team. Joining Schmitt, Delport and Salek as first-team members were SMU teammates Natalia Bubien and Claire Rietsch and Rice's Julie Chao. Representing the All-Conference Doubles Team were duos from Marshall, SMU and Tulsa. Schmitt and Lynzee Kever of Marshall were joined on the team by Bubien and Rietsch of SMU and Grimes and Delport of TU.

Tulsa led all C-USA teams with seven all-league selections, while Marshall and SMU followed with four selections and Rice notched three honors.