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Immediate Release: April 27, 2006 Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu) Phone: 607-777-6478 Umeki named America East Conference Women's Tennis Rookie of the Year; Stevens repeats as Coach of the Year VESTAL, N.Y. -- Freshman Juliana Umeki (Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil) has been named the America East Conference Rookie of the Year while head coach Mike Stevens was named the Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. Five other Bearcats were named to the 2006 America East All-Conference Teams, which were announced Thursday evening. Umeki, who joined the team in Janaury, has gone 15-3, including 12-2 in dual matches. She is currently the Bearcats' No. 1 singles player heading into the upcoming America East Confernce Championship. Umeki was named the America East Player of the Week on both March 21 and April 4. "Juliana has come in and made an immediate impact on our team," Stevens said. "She is on her way to becoming a very good player in this conference." Stevens led the Bearcats to a 9-5 season, including a 4-0 mark in the America East Conference. Under his leadership, Binghamton has a two-year dual match record of 25-11 and has won all eight regular-season matches against America East opponents. "I am honored to receive this award but it is a credit to our team," Stevens. "They have all been playing very well heading into the (America East) championships." Junior Lya Kushnirovich (Brooklyn, N.Y.) received a pair of first-team all-conference honors. She got the nod at No. 4 singles and at No. 3 doubles with freshman Nicole Scarangella (Massapequa, N.Y.). Kushnirovich has gone 25-9 in singles play this season and did not lose a singles or doubles match against an America East Conference opponent. "Lya has had a great year," Stevens said. "She has been working very hard and playing really well lately." Juniors Zeynep Altinay (Ankara, Turkey) and Jelena Koprivica (Belgrade, Serbia) and sophomore Sophomore Jen Naegeli (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) all were named to the second team. Altinay, who has been at the No. 2 singles slot most of the season, and Koprivica, who is at No. 3 in the lineup, have each posted a singles record of 20-8. Naegeli has been the team's No. 5 player. Altinay and Umeki was also named second-team all-conference at No. 2 doubles. Binghamton has earned the No. 2 seed at the America East Conference Championships for the second year in a row. The Bearcats, who are seeded behind 11-time defending champion Boston, will face No. 7 Hartford in the opening round on Friday at noon. |
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