For Immediate Release: September 6, 2006
Contact: David O'Brian (dobrian@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6478

Altinay and Kushnirovich enter senior seasons on the brink of setting Binghamton women's tennis marks

VESTAL, N.Y.-- As the women's tennis team begins the 2006-07 season this coming weekend, seniors Zeynep Altinay (Ankara, Turkey) and Lya Kushnirovich (Brooklyn, N.Y.) each stand on the brink of recording the most significant accomplishment in program history. With 68 and 65 career wins in singles play, they are both in position to break the all-time record of 69 career wins, set by Binghamton Hall of Famer Lisa Denerstein (1988-92). Rarely in any sport are two players in position to break their school's most significant career record in the same season.

Since arriving on campus three years ago, both Altinay and Kushnirovich have been fixtures in the Binghamton lineup. Along with then first-year head coach Mike Stevens, they have led the Bearcats to a record of 32-22, including a 27-12 mark the past two years. Binghamton has gone a perfect 8-0 in America East Conference dual matches and has recorded back-to-back runner-up finishes at the conference championships.

Altinay, who begins the season with a 68-19 career record, has already made her mark in the program record books. Two years ago, she went 30-4 at No. 1 singles, breaking Denerstein's 1992 mark of 26 wins in a season. Along the way, she was named the America East Conference Player of the Year and Binghamton University Female Athlete of the Year.

Last season, despite struggling with injuries, Altinay still posted a record of 21-8 and was named second-team all-conference at No. 2 singles. Binghamton played its toughest Division I schedule during the 2005-06 campaign.

Kushnirovich, who has a career singles record of 65-25, went 27-9 last season while playing primarily at No. 4 singles. She passed Denerstein's mark for wins in a season and earned first-team all-conference honors. In the classroom, she was just as impressive, earned academic honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

The previous season, Kushnirovich went 26-9 in dual matches and earned first-team all-conference honors at No. 3 singles.

Binghamton opens up its 2006-07 schedule at the two-day Bloomsburg Duals, which start on Saturday. While no team scores are kept, individual wins will count towards career won-loss records.

PLEASE NOTE: Denerstein finished her career with a 69-26 record in singles matches.