April 17, 2003

FURMAN'S JAMES CAMERON, MARY KOVARIK NAMED SOCON TENNIS PLAYERS-OF-THE-YEAR; DEBBIE SOUTHERN EARNS COACH-OF-THE-YEAR HONORS

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- For the second year in as many years, the Furman tennis programs swept the Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year awards as James Cameron and Mary Kovarik received the honors in Charleston, S.C. on Wednesday night. Furman's Debbie Southern also won her seventh Southern Conference Coach-of-the-Year award as she led the Lady Paladins to a 9-0 conference mark and fifth consecutive league regular season title.

Cameron was 9-0 in conference action this season at the No. 1 position and was 16-8 overall. He also picked up seven conference wins at No. 1 doubles. Kovarik, who also went undefeated for the Lady Paladins in conference play at No. 1 singles, posted a 15-8 overall singles mark. She was 8-1 at No. 1 doubles in league competition.

Both teams also landed various players on the all-conference first and second teams. While Cameron was named to the all-conference first team for singles, he and partner Patrick Fillnow were also recognized on the first team for doubles. Furman's Chris Henderson and Allen Simmons landed spots on the all-conference doubles second team.

The women had Kovarik and Mary Neill Hagood earn first team singles honors, while Kovarik and partner Natalie The were named to the second team for doubles. The, Shannon Moore, and Shellie Cochran all landed spots on the second team for singles, while the doubles tandems of Moore-Caroline Bentley and Hagood-Krista Thomson were recognized on the doubles second team.

The Lady Paladins will defend their Southern Conference tournament crown when they face East Tennessee State at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday in Charleston. The men will face Chattanooga at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday in Charleston.

2003 Southern Conference Tennis Men's First Team

Singles
Timo Siebert, College of Charleston
Jason Ontog, Chattanooga
Rob Haywood, Davidson
Alejandro Salazar, East Tennessee State
Marcos Pavlovich, East Tennessee State
JAMES CAMERON, FURMAN

Doubles
Erez Cohen and Doug Ormsby, Appalachian State
Alejandro Salazar and Marcos Pavlovich, East Tennessee State
JAMES CAMERON and PATRICK FILLNOW, FURMAN

2003 Southern Conference Tennis Men's Second Team

Singles
No. 1 Erez Cohen, Appalachian State
No. 2 Lee Porter, Wofford
No. 3 Thorben Kolk, College of Charleston
No. 4 Fernando Fiuri, East Tennessee State
No. 5 Vincent Patry, Georgia Southern
No. 6 Warren Woolfolk, The Citadel

Doubles
No. 1 Jason Ontog and Thomas Knizat, Chattanooga
No. 2 Diego Iglesias and Moises Serrano, East Tennessee State
No. 3 CHRIS HENDERSON and ALLEN SIMMONS, FURMAN

Freshman of the Year: Vincent Patry, Georgia Southern
Player of the Year: JAMES CAMERON, FURMAN
Coach of the Year: Phil Whitesell, College of Charleston
Buddy Hartsell/Don Bunch Sportsmanship Award: Jason Ontog, Chattanooga

2003 Women's Tennis All-Conference First Team

Singles
Gabriela Moreria, College of Charleston
Rachel Magory, College of Charleston
Charlotte Goude, Chattanooga
MARY NEILL HAGOOD, FURMAN
MARY KOVARIK, FURMAN

Doubles
Cynthia Oulevay and Catherine Allen, Chattanooga
MARY KOVARIK and NATALIE THE, FURMAN
Wendy Rohr and Ellen Rogers, Wofford

2003 Women's Tennis All-Conference Second Team

Singles
 No. 1 Kelly Fillnow, Davidson
No. 2 Meggie Patterson, Davidson
No. 3 NATALIE THE, FURMAN
No. 4 SHANNON MOORE, FURMAN
No. 5 Marion Levellier, Georgia Southern
No. 6 SHELLIE COCHRAN, FURMAN

Doubles
No. 1 Kelly Fillnow and Meghan Fillnow, Davidson
No. 2 CAROLINE BENTLEY and SHANNON MOORE, FURMAN
No. 3 MARY NEILL HAGOOD and KRISTA THOMSON, FURMAN

Freshman of the Year: Stephanie Tyrell, Georgia Southern
Player of the Year: MARY KOVARIK, FURMAN
Coach of the Year: DEBBIE SOUTHERN, FURMAN
Sportsmanship Award: Callie Ward, Georgia Southern