May 13, 2003

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - University of Memphis women's tennis player Sabrina Lindemann earned the program's first-ever regional honor when she was named the recipient of the Southeast Region/Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA)'s Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award earlier this week.

The Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship goes to a women's player who displays inspiring dedication and commitment to her team, which has enhanced her team's performance and exemplified the spirit of college tennis.

Lindemann, who recently completed her four-year Lady Tiger career with a 90-56 record in singles and a 98-44 record at No. 1 doubles, received the Southeast Region's Award and will appear on the national ballot against eight other female student-athletes.

"She certainly has stood out against any of the other student-athletes I have recruited here at Memphis," Head Coach Charlotte Peterson said. "I'm very proud of her, she is so deserving and I think she has a great chance to win the national award also."

Lindemann, who graduated with her bachelor's degree in sports administration in three years, is currently working on her MBA in marketing at Memphis. She will complete her master's degree in December.

"She's such a great representative for the university," Peterson said. "Some of the schools she is competing against are some of the top academic schools in the nation."

Lindemann is joined on the national ballot by Harvard's Sanja Bajin, Mississippi's Mira Radu, Indiana's Karie Schlukebir, Tulsa's Aleksandra Durska, Houston's Sarah Flood, California's Christina Fusano and San Diego State's Katja Karrento. The winner of the national award will be announced May 18th in Gainesville, Fla.

Lindemann just captured her first-ever Elma Roane Award as the U of M's top female student-athlete, and also received an award for having the highest GPA in all of U of M women's athletics. A second-team all-conference honoree this spring, Lindemann was named to three all-conference teams.

A member of the Dean's list for six semesters and a four-time recipient of the commissioner's academic medal, Lindemann is also a member of the U of M Student Athlete Advisory Committee and was half of the first-ever doubles team in school history to earn a national ranking. Lindemann also guided the Lady Tigers to their first-ever appearance in the ITA national rankings earlier this spring.

Lindemann was one of two Conference USA student-athletes to earn regional sportsmanship awards. Houston's Sarah Flood earned the Southwest Region's award. Other C-USA female tennis players earning regional honors included Tulane's Meike Babel, who was named the Southwest Region Coach of the Year; Tulane's Jenny Kuhn, who was named the Southwest Region's Rookie Player of the Year and the Green Wave's Julie Smekodub, named the Southwest ITA Player to Watch.