May 2, 2008

OGDEN, Utah - The Big Sky Conference announced the men's and women's all-conference tennis selections on Friday and Northern Colorado junior Tabatha Knop earned first-team honors.

Knop led the Bears with a 12-9 overall record and went 6-2 in #1 singles action in Big Sky Conference play. She and teammate Manuela Santos also posted a 14-6 overall record at #1 doubles and went 7-1 in Big Sky action.

Knop becomes the Bears' first-ever Big Sky All-Conference first-team selection in tennis. Both Tabatha and sister Tiffany were honorable mention selections a year ago.

The Bears competed in their first-ever Big Sky Championship last week, falling to Montana State in the quarterfinals.

First Team

Player                                             School                                    Year           Hometown

$Katrina Zheltova (MVP)        Sacramento State              So.              Minsk, Belarus

Orsi Golovics                                Northern Arizona               Fr.               Szentendre, Hungary

Stephanie Jasper                       Montana State                    Fr.               Bozeman, Mont.

Tabatha Knop                              Northern Colorado            Jr.               Colorado Springs, Colo.

$Anastassia Lyssenko               Sacramento State              Jr.               Rostov-on-Don, Russia

Edit Suhadja                                 Northern Arizona               Fr.               Budapest, Hungary

Stephanie Vallejos                    Northern Arizona               Sr.               Benicia, Calif.

Laura Villegas                               Montana State                    So.              Cota, Colombia

$Two-Time First Team Selection

Second Team

Player                                             School                                    Year           Hometown

Kerstyln Dolack                           Eastern Washington         Sr.               Vancouver, Wash.

Karina Jarlkaganova                  Sacramento State              Jr.               Toronto, Ontario

Kasey Knox                                   Eastern Washington         Sr.               West Richland, Wash.

Lacey Pflibsen                             Portland State                     Fr.               Vista, Calif.

Honorable Mention

Mari Castello, UM; Joyce Martinez, SAC; Leslie Vial, NAU; Stephanie Fuchs, PSU; Aileen Tsan, SAC; Luba Schifris, SAC