Dean, Fischer Named to Academic All-MAC Women's Tennis Team

BUFFALO, NY – Two University at Buffalo women's tennis players have been named to the 2007 Academic All-Mid-American Conference team, the league announced from its headquarters in Cleveland. Seniors Natalie Dean (Feilding, New Zealand/Palmerston North) and Katrin Fischer (Ternitz, Austria/Borg) were selected by the league's faculty athletic representatives for their success in the classroom and on the tennis court.

Natalie Dean

Dean, a social sciences major with a 3.783 grade point average, posted a 16-6 singles record and a 20-9 doubles mark in the 2006-07 season. Playing just two seasons for the Bulls after transferring from Delta State University, Dean collected 31 overall singles wins to place her ninth on UB's all-time victories list. She also moved into seventh place on UB's all-time doubles victories list with 31. She was named to the MAC's All-Tournament team as she helped the Bulls to their second straight appearance in the championship final. She also garnered the women's tennis team's Most Improved Player award at the annual athletics banquet earlier this week.

Katrin Fischer

Fischer, a journalism and world affairs major with a 3.730 grade point average, ended her four-year career at UB third on the Bulls' all-time singles wins list with 61. Fischer finished the 2006-07 campaign with 19-4 singles record, winning her final 10 matches and 16 of her last 17. She was also 14-8 in doubles play this season and ended her career with 45 doubles victories, tied for fourth on UB's all-time list. Fischer won the MAC's LeAnn Grimes Davidge Sportsmanship Award and was selected to the All-Tournament team as her victory over Toledo's Jessica Azoulay in the semifinals put the Bulls into the championship match. Off the court, she is a member of the UB Golden Key Honour Society and wrote for the student newspaper, The Spectrum. She earned UB's Ideal Bull Distinguished Student-Athlete Leadership Award and the women's tennis team's Coaches' Award earlier in the week.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award. Outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments from the current season only are considered. The Academic All-MAC team is voted on by the league's faculty athletic representatives. The total number of honorees is set for a specific sport or 33 percent of all nominees, whichever is greater. Due to ties, a total of 13 women were named to the squad.