Miglena Nenova

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo's Miglena Nenova (Rousse, Bulgaria/Eurointellect) has been named the Mid-American Conference's Newcomer of the Year and gained a spot on the All-MAC First Team. The All-MAC team and individual award winners were announced at the league's championship banquet in Rockford, IL Thursday night.

Nenova is the first UB women's tennis player to earn MAC postseason recognition since the Bulls joined the league in 1998. Playing at first singles during the spring season after moving up from the second spot during the fall, Nenova compiled an 18-7 overall singles record, including a 5-4 mark in Mid-American Conference play and the most individual overall wins since the Bulls joined the MAC. Her 18 singles wins were also the most by a UB individual since Amy Cohen compiled an 18-6 mark in the 1994-95 season. In doubles, Nenova was 18-8 (2-7 in the MAC), including compiling 17 wins with Kristen Ortman (Amherst, NY/Amherst) to form the Bulls' top duo.

During the season, Nenova gained recognition as the MAC Player of the Week following UB's 4-3 win over Akron on April 9. Nenova helped the Bulls clinch the match by winning a comeback victory over Irina Strembitsky, the top-ranked player in the MAC at the time and nationally-ranked by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Down a set and trailing 3-1 in the second, Nenova rallied to win the second set, 6-4. She then proceeded to finish off the match with a 6-2 victory in the third set and stop Strembitsky's undefeated streak of 15 matches.

Joining Nenova on the All-MAC First Team are Strembitsky, Eastern Michigan's Victoria Domina, Western Michigan's Frederika Girsang and Marshall's Jessica Johnson and Alice Sukner. Domina was named the league's Player of the Year while Girsang was honored with the Leann Grimes Sportsmanship Award. Marshall's John Mercer and Western Michigan's Betsy Kuhle tied for Coach of the Year honors.