Bartlett Named SAC Player of the Year, Sneed Named Scholar Athlete

April 24, 2009

ROCK HILL, SC - Carson-Newman junior Amanda Bartlett (Powder Spring, Ga.) and claimed the South Atlantic Conference's top tennis awards, the league announced Thursday night.

The awards were presented Thursday night in Rock Hill, S.C. The Food Lion SAC Men's and Women's Tennis Tournament continues with semifinals on Friday at the Rock Hill Tennis Center.

Bartlett (Powder Springs, Ga./Mceachern) went 9-2 overall and was a perfect 8-0 in conference play at No. 1 singles and was named Women's Tennis Player of the Year. She was 7-5 overall in doubles action, including 4-4 in conference play.

Elizabeth Sneed (Kingsport, Tenn.) from Carson-Newman was named the Scholar-Athlete for women's tennis.

Sneed is a junior majoring in accounting and Spanish and carries a 3.96 GPA. She has been a key to the Lady Eagles' success the last two seasons. She went 9-3 in singles play this season and was 10-3 in doubles play. She is a member of Alpha Chi honor society, the Omicron

Delta Kappa National Leadership Society and the Sigma Delta Pi honor society for Spanish majors. Sneedvolunteers weekly at Appalachian Outreach, a shelter for homeless and needy people, where she hands out clothing, toys, food and translates Spanish.

On the men's side, C-N senior Giuseppe Schwarz earned first team All-SAC honors for the second time in his career after a successful senior season.

Mars Hill College sophomore Alessandro du Besse Du Besse (Rome, Italy / Sapienza Universitá di Rome) went 12-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play and was named Men's Tennis Player of the Year. In doubles play, he went 11-3 overall and 6-1 in doubles play.

Mars Hill's Erika Pinate (Caracas, Venezuela / St. Thomas de Villanueva) was named Women's Tennis Freshman of the Year. In her first season, playing No. 1 singles, she went 13-1 overall and 6-1 in the conference. In doubles play, she went 12-3 overall and 4-3 in conference matches. .

Lenoir-Rhyne University's John Fichardt (Bloemfontein, South Africa) went 11-8 overall and 5-3 in conference play as a freshman at the number one position and was named the Men's Tennis Freshman of the Year.

Brevard College coach Paul Thompson, who guided the Lady Tornados to a 16-5 record overall and 5-3 in SAC play, was named Women's Tennis Coach of the Year. Thompson becomes the first Brevard coach to earn Coach of the Year honors.

Wingate coach Michael Cabana was named Men's Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulldogs to their school's first conference title with an undefeated conference record. Cabana wins this award for the first time in his career.

Tusculum's Hunter Beal received the Scholar-Athlete Award for men's tennis.

Beal is a senior majoring in Sports Science and has a 3.78 GPA. He went 8-11 in singles play, primarily at the number three position and was 14-7 in doubles competition. Beal is a three-time ITA scholar-athlete, and is a recipient of the NASPE Outstanding Major Award. He is a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society and has been nom! ! inated to the Tusculum President's Society. He is also active in community and campus activities, serving as a tutor in area schools, and volunteers with a local soup kitchen, Toys for Children campaign, a local assisted living center and took part in a mission trip to New Orleans to help restore a church.

2009 All-South Atlantic Conference Tennis Teams

MEN'S FIRST TEAM
Giuseppe Schwarz, Carson-Newman
Shahin Soltan, Catawba
John Fichardt, Lenoir-Rhyne
Hannes Ganss, Lincoln Memorial
Bastian Guenther, Lincoln Memorial
Alessandro du Besse, Mars Hill
Koeche Smith, Mars Hill
Mitchell Lvovsky, Wingate

MEN'S SECOND TEAM
Jarred Fisher, Brevard
Cole Altizer, Brevard
Matt King, Catawba
Felipe Sobrinho, Newberry
Steven Lin, Tusculum
Henrique Rodrigues, Tusculum
Braeden Patchell, Wingate
Bruno Pudence, Wingate

WOMEN'S FIRST TEAM
Kim Dixon, Brevard
Lindsay Shaeffer, Brevard
Amanda Bartlett, Carson-Newman
Elizabeth Sneed, Carson-Newman
Sophia Lopez Mimendi, Lincoln Memorial
Ann-Sophi Inderherberge, Lincoln Memorial
Erika Pinate, Mars Hill
Jennifer Sparks, Tusculum

WOMEN'S SECOND TEAM
Jen Denyes, Catawba
Kasia Zielinski, Catawba
Kate Meinrs, Lenoir-Rhyne
Patty La Rovere, Mars Hill
Katelyn Doss, Tusculum
Amanda Pike, Tusculum
Hollyn Alberghini, Wingate
Zoe Hartas, Wingate
Kara Stasikelis, Wingate