2011 SAC Women’s Tennis All-Conference Team, Award Winners Announced

ROCK HILL, SC - Mars Hill College's Erika Pinate, who went undefeated in conference play, and Wingate University's Ali Evers, who helped lead the Bulldogs to a conference title in her first season, headline the 2011 South Atlantic Conference Women's Tennis All-Conference Team, it was announced by the league office today.

Pinate went 9-0 at No. 1 singles in conference play for the Lions, and is 13-2 overall, to earn Player of the Year honors. She has a 9-6 overall record in doubles action.

Evers, a freshman from Roswell, Ga., played No. 2 singles for the Bulldogs, where she went 15-5 overall and 6-3 against conference opponents. She also went 18-2 in double play, including a 7-2 conference record, and was named Freshman of the Year.

Wingate coach Michael Cabana, who guided the Bulldogs to their second conference champion ship in school history, and first since 2003, was named Coach of the Year. He wins the award for the first time in his career.

Erika Pinate

Ali Evers

Blake Thompson

Michael Cabana

Wingate led the way with four All-Conference selections, while Brevard and Lincoln Memorial had three each.

Tusculum's Blake Thompson was named the Scholar-Athlete for women's tennis. Blake is a senior majoring in pre-medicine, and has a 3.61 GPA. She has been on the Tusculum Dean's List every semester, as well as the Charles Oliver Gray honor list. In 2008, she was recognized as the Tusculum Academic Freshman of the Year for having the highest GPA.

During her tennis career, Thompson has recorded 92 career victories in singles and doubles, including 36 conference wins. She had a 22-match winning streak in singles from 2009 to 2010. She helped Tusculum to two conference championships and one tournament title. She has been named an ITA Scholar-Athlete three times.

Thompson has volunteered with Special Olympics, Greeneville Food Pantry, Santa Pal Program, Adopt-A-Family, at a local soup kitchen, and assisted with remodeling a day care center. She also volunteered at a Wellmont Hospital in Bristol, Tenn., where she shadowed doctors and helped organize patient charts.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete Award recognizes one student-athlete in each of its 14 sports programs and represents a combination of athletic skill, academic achievement and participation in community service and leadership. The award is selected by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives.

The awards will be presented on Thursday after the men's semifinal matches at the 2011 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tennis Tournament at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

2011 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE
ALL-CONFERENCE WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAM

First Team
Lauren Trumbull, Anderson
Lindsay Hostetter, Brevard
Lindsay Shaeffer, Brevard
Leah Donoff, Lincoln Memorial
Sofia Lopez Mimendi, Lincoln Memorial
Erika Pinate, Mars Hill
Ali Evers, Wingate
Kara Stasikelis, Wingate

Second Team
Claire Dillman, Brevard
Taryn Cappadona, Carson-Newman
Kasia Zielinski, Catawba
Emily Mauser, Lenoir-Rhyne
Alexandra Granger, Lincoln Memorial
Tatiana Dualiby, Mars Hill
Blake Thompson, Tusculum
Morgan Winston, Wingate
Olivia Poole, Wingate

Player of the Year - Erika Pinate, Mars Hill

Freshman of the Year - Ali Evers, Wingate

Coach of the Year - Michael Cabana, Wingate

Scholar-Athlete - Blake Thompson, Tusculum

SENIORS

Anderson
Julie Halbert

Brevard
Lindsay Shaeffer

Carson-Newman
Taryn Cappadona
Stephanie Goode
Charli Thomas

Catawba
Jennifer Dameron
Vanessa Silva
Kasia Zielinski

Lenoir-Rhyne
Cathryn Jarrett

Tusculum
Blake Thompson

Wingate
Kara Stasikelis