FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 4-17-02

Armstrong Atlantic State Sweeps PBC Women's Tennis Awards

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The No. 2-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State women's tennis team swept the major awards at Wednesday evening's Peach Belt Conference tennis awards banquet as sophomore Zsofi Golopencza was named Player of the Year, freshman Annamaria Forgacs was named the Freshman of the Year and head coach Simon Earnshaw was named Coach of the Year.

Golopencza, who was named Freshman and Player of the Year in 2001, becomes the first player to win back-to-back Player of the Year awards since AASU’s Sandra van der Aa in 1995-96. The sophomore from Budapest, Germany, is the top-ranked singles player in the nation, was undefeated in PBC play and was 18-1 overall at #1 singles for the season. Golopencza was also named all-conference in doubles play with teammate Michaela Kratochvilova. Kratochvilova also earned All-PBC honors in singles for the third consecutive year.

Annamaria Forgacs is the second Lady Pirate to win Freshman of the Year honors. A native of Budapest, Germany, she was undefeated in PBC play in 2002, going 6-0 at #2 singles and 4-0 at #3. Forgacs was also 19-2 in overall dual match play and was named to the All-Conference team as well in singles and in doubles with sophomore Laura Peaty.

Simon Earnshaw was named Coach of the Year for the second time after leading his Lady Pirates to an 18-3 overall mark and a perfect 10-0 in PBC play.

On the men's side, freshman Dale White was named the Peach Belt Conference's Freshman of the Year, becoming the fourth Armstrong Atlantic State player to win Freshman of the Year honors since the
PBC began issuing the award in 1997. White, who came to AASU from Boston, England, played in each of the top four singles spots for the Pirates with a 6-1 record. He spent most of his time at #2 singles where he was 3-0 in the conference and 8-5 overall.

The No. 20-ranked Pirate men will be in action on Thursday morning at 11:00 a.m. against USC Spartanburg in a first-round match, while the No. 1-ranked women will meet the winner of Thursday morning's USC Aiken/Francis Marion match at 2:00 p.m.

- Pirates -