Fayetteville, N.C. - The USA South has announced its postseason awards for men's and women's tennis with a total of 55 student-athletes being named to their respective All-Conference teams. North Carolina Wesleyan, whose men claimed a fourth straight regular season title and whose women clinched a share of their first league crown, boasted 13 honorees. Head Coach Dominic Modise paved the way with his fourth consecutive Coach of the Year honor in men's tennis, while freshman Yvonne Kamegne was tabbed the league's Rookie of the Year on the women's side.
Modise, in his fifth year at the helm of N.C. Wesleyan, received his fourth consecutive USA South Men's Tennis Coach of the Year honor. Modise has helped guide the Bishops to an 14-2 overall record and a perfect 6-0 mark in conference action. With the unblemished league record for the fourth consecutive season, N.C. Wesleyan earned the program's seventh regular season title. The Bishops enter the USA South Tournament as the top-seeded team and three-time defending champions.
Kamegne, a freshman from Yaounde, Cameroon, primarily collected wins at the #1 singles spot this season for the Bishops and posted a 7-1 record against USA South opposition. In doubles play, Kamegne earned an 8-1 record during league play, splitting time between the #2 and #3 positions. For her efforts this season, she earned First Team All-Conference honors.
In addition to Kamegne, Samia Kacher was tabbed a Second Team selection, while Kristin Seidel and Michelle Hart were Third Team picks. Bristy Parker and Tori Jones rounded out Wesleyan's honorees as Honorable Mentions, with Parker serving as the Bishops' representative on the All-Sportsmanship team.
Modise's men had a trio of players garner First Team recognition in the form Rinat Khussainov, Robert Kjellberg and Alexey Rumyantsev. The three anchored the #1, #2 and #3 positions, respectively, for majority of the season.
Other Bishops recognized were Fred Lemongo on the Second Team and Viktor Selander as an Honorable Mention. Panayot Kusidi was placed on the All-Sportsmanship team.
Elsewhere around the league in men's tennis, Christopher Newport University's Eric Shulman earned Player of the Year accolades and Methodist University's Hans Baumstark collected Rookie of the Year honors. In women's tennis, Meredith College's Puja Patel collected Player of the Years honors, and Methodist University's Francie Barragan was named Coach of the Year.
To view the entire 2012 men's and women's tennis All-Conference teams, please visit www.usasouth.net.
Both teams will be in action this weekend at their respective USA South Tournaments in Burlington. The Bishop women open up first versus #7 Mary Baldwin on Friday at 9:00am. Wesleyan's men have received a first round bye and will take on the winner of #4 Methodist and #5 Greensboro on Saturday at 2:00pm.