April 29, 2008
Center Valley, Pa. - 2008 Patriot League women's tennis champion Army placed six student-athletes on the All-Patriot League teams and swept the three major awards, it was announced on Tuesday. Freshman phenom Annie Houghton became the first player in Patriot League history to be named Player and Rookie of the Year, while Head Coach Paul Peck was named Coach of the Year for the ninth time in his career.
Houghton earned Player and Rookie of the Year honors, as well as a spot on the First-Team All-Patriot League after compiling a record of 18-6 during the spring. She defeated ranked opponents from both Pittsburgh and Temple, and wins over No. 1 singles players from Rutgers, UMass, Cornell, St. John's and UMBC. She was 5-1 at No. 1 singles in Patriot League play.
Joining Houghton on the first team were teammates Sarah Giles-Madden, Kristin Beehler and Caitlin Finnegan, along with Bucknell's Tania Varela and Paulina Gamboa and Colgate's Elise DeRose and Samantha Inacker. Giles-Madden, who was the 2008 Tournament MVP, finished the season with a 4-1 record at No. 3 singles play during the Patriot League. Beehler was 15-9 during the spring season, including a perfect 6-0 mark at No. 4 singles in the Patriot League. Finnegan had similar numbers, going 15-6 during the spring, to go with an undefeated 6-0 record in League play.
Varela, the 2007 Rookie of the Year, followed up her rookie season with a solid sophomore year. She finished 5-1 in Patriot League play, including a split with Houghton at No. 1 singles. She also finished 5-1 at the No. 1 doubles position. Gamboa tallied a record of 5-1 at the No. 2 singles position, and teamed with Varela to finish 5-1 at No. 1 doubles.
DeRose played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for Colgate this spring, finishing with a singles record of 10-9 and a doubles record of 13-7. Inacker played No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles for Colgate, closing with a record of 13-7 at each position.
The Second-Team All-Patriot League consisted of Army's Diana Alquero and Niki Flach, Bucknell's Lauren Lucido, Lafayette's Ansley Scudder and Lehigh's Julie Arthofer and Allison Schwartz. Alquero finished the spring season with a record of 14-7, and was one of three Black Knights to finish with a perfect 6-0 mark against Patriot League opponents. Flach, the 2007 Player of the Year, played mostly doubles during the spring season, finishing with an overall record of 7-2, and a 5-1 mark against Patriot League foes.
Lucido had an impressive rookie season for the Bison, playing a strong No. 3 singles. She finished 4-2 against Patriot League opponents, and was named Player of the Month in the Patriot League back in September 2007.
Scudder, who played No. 1 singles and doubles for Lafayette this spring, finished with a singles record of 8-10 and a doubles record of 7-8. Arthofer was No. 3 in Lehigh's singles rotation, and finished the spring season with a record of 11-6 overall and 4-1 in Patriot League play. Schwartz was 8-13 overall at No. 1 singles for Lehigh, including a 2-3 mark against Patriot League opponents.
The Army Black Knights, by virtue of the Patriot League's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, will travel cross country to face off against No. 8 seed California in a first round match that will take place May 9 or 10. For more information about the Black Knights in the NCAA Tournament, please visit www.GoArmySports.com.
2008 Women's Tennis All-Patriot League
First Team *
Kristin Beehler, Army, So.
Caitlin Finnegan, Army, Fr.
Sarah Giles-Madden, Army, Jr.
Annie Houghton, Army, Fr.
Paulina Gamboa, Bucknell, Jr.
Tania Varela, Bucknell, So.
Elise DeRose, Colgate, So.
Samantha Inacker, Colgate, So.
Second Team
Diana Alquero, Army, Sr.
Niki Flach, Army, Jr.
Lauren Lucido, Bucknell, Fr.
Ansley Scudder, Lafayette, Jr.
Julie Arthofer, Lehigh, So.
Allison Schwartz, Lehigh, Jr.
* - there are eight (8) members of the first team due to ties in voting
Player of the Year: Annie Houghton, Army
Rookie of the Year: Annie Houghton, Army
Coach of the Year: Paul Peck, Army
