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Collins, Slupska Snag All-Conference Honors
May 2, 2011
IRVING, Texas--Two members of the Memphis women's tennis squad snagged all-conference honors as announced by the league office on Monday. Sophomore Courtney Collins was selected to the All-C-USA first team, becoming the first netter in program history to receive first-team honors, and junior Mariya Slupska was named to the third team. "This is great for Courtney and Masha and the entire program," head coach Lee Taylor Walker said. "Players from only five of the 12 conference teams were chosen and Courtney and Masha should be proud of this achievement." Collins posted an 18-6 overall mark, 4-1 in league play, playing primarily No. 1 singles and tallying the second-most singles wins for the Blue and Gray this year. She is the only netter in program history to ever be nationally ranked, becoming the first to do so when she entered the Intercollegiate Tennis Association polls on Feb. 14. Collins has been ranked as high as No. 106 and currently holds the No. 125 spot. Throughout the season, Collins amassed several noteworthy wins against the No. 1 and 2 players from nationally-ranked programs including Auburn, Princeton and C-USA champion Tulsa. This is Collins' second consecutive year garnering All-C-USA honors, having been selected to the second team in 2010. Slupska, earns her first all-conference nod after accumulating a 19-6 overall individual record, also going 4-1 against conference opponents during the regular season, and her 19 wins were a team high for 2011. The junior from Kiev, Ukraine transferred from Tyler Junior College, in Tyler, Texas to join the team this spring and spent most of the season at the No. 2 slot in the lineup. Slupska's play was highlighted by 6-1, 6-3 trumping of 57th-ranked singles player Shinann Featherston of No. 5 UNC in Chapel Hill and defeating 63rd-ranked Auburn's No. 2 player Caroline Thorton 6-4, 6-2, among other significant victories. Additionally, both Memphis selections earned C-USA Women's Tennis Athlete honors this season, Collins on Feb. 22 and Slupska on March 8. "If Courtney and Masha work hard this summer and fall, they will be garnering national recognition next year," Coach Walker said. "I am very excited for them. On another note, I was disappointed to not see Stefanie [Mikesz] on the ballot. She ended the season strong and proved she was among the best in the conference having beat one player that was selected and also leading another selection at the conference championships before the match was halted." Mikesz, a freshman from Bardowick, Germany, played all but one match at No. 3 singles for the U of M going 17-7 this season. She notably took down Tulsa'a Michelle Farley, who was named to the second team, 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 1-0 (10-7) and was leading Catherine Kellner of 52nd-ranked Marshall in the conference quarterfinals, 6-4, 6-5. "Overall, we are heading in the right direction and I am looking forward to next year," Coach Walker said.
All-Conference USA First Team
All-Conference USA Second Team
All-Conference USA Third Team
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Memphis Tigers
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