By Michael G. Hawkins
FLORENCE, SC – Five Francis Marion University tennis players were named to the Peach Belt Conference 2011 All-Conference Teams. The announcements were made at the recent PBC Championship Tournaments in Augusta, Ga.
Senior Oshada Wijemanne was named to the first-team All-PBC men’s singles squad, while senior Karl Rogers and sophomore Alex Caspari received second-team All-PBC doubles honors.
Wijemanne earns All-Conference recognition for the third straight year.
Junior Jitka Gavdunova was named a first-team All-PBC women’s singles player, while sophomore Mona Blauen was a second-team choice. The two were also named as a first-team doubles All-Conference selection.
Wijemanne, a native of Colombo, Sri Lanka, has compiled a 10-4 singles mark at the No. 1 position, and is ranked eighth nationally. Six of his victories have come against nationally ranked opponents. He owns the second-most career singles wins (55) in team history.
Rogers and Caspari have combined for a 10-6 doubles record at the No. 1 position and are ranked 18th in the latest national rankings. Five of their losses have been to nationally ranked opponents. Rogers hails from Killiney, Ireland, while Caspari is from Hurth, Germany.
Gavdunova, a native of Vejprty, Czech Republic, was 15-1 in singles play at the No. 1 position and is ranked 16th nationally. Her lone loss was to the then No.1-ranked singles player in Division II. She owns a 53-6 career singles record. She was a first-team All-PBC doubles selection in 2009 as a freshman.
Blauen, a native of Cologne, Germany, compiled a 13-2 singles mark at the No. 2 spot, and is ranked 44th nationally in singles play. She was also 10-2 against PBC competition.
The two combined to post a 12-4 doubles record and are ranked ninth among all Division II duos. They were 9-2 in the Peach Belt and played three matches against nationally ranked opponents.
The 14th-ranked Francis Marion men are 10-7 and will play in the NCAA Division II Tournament on Sunday against Lander University in Columbus, Ga. The Patriot women, also ranked 14th, concluded their 2011 season with an 11-7 record.
