(San Bruno, CA) - After a record-setting year for USF women's tennis, freshman Jenni Heinser was named WCC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year after helping the Dons finish in fourth place at the WCC Women's Tennis Championship last week. Heinser is the first netter in USF program history to receive either the Player or Freshman of the Year honors for women's tennis.

Heinser is currently the highest ranked WCC player on the circuit, checking in at No. 79 in the ITA listing. Hilary Somers captured co-Coach of the Year honors as selected by her peers. It is the second time Somers has received the honor and first since 2003. Saint Mary's Lisa Alipaz was tabbed for WCC Co-Coach of the Year for the second consecutive year, after leading the Gaels to a second place finish at the 2008 WCC Championships.

In addition to Heinser on the first team, four Dons captured all-league accolades. Mylene Martin earned second team honors in singles, while Jenny Sperry collected an honorable mention singles nod. USF's doubles tandem of Sperry and Emma Taylor also garnered honorable mention selection.

Heinser is the first USF student-athlete to capture WCC Player of the Year accolades since Scott Cousins (player) and Patrick McGuigan (pitcher) swept the category in baseball during the 2006 season. In addition, Heinser is the first USF underclassmen to earn player of the year selection since Aaron Chandler of men's soccer was selected as a sophomore in 2004.

Joining Heinser on the All-WCC first team is Pepperdine's Bianca Dulgheru, earning the conference honor for the fourth consecutive season. Fellow Wave Sylvia Kosakowski, who earned first team honors for the third straight year, and freshman Anamika Bhargava also check in on the all-conference team for Pepperdine. Joining the Waves are Loyola Marymount's Pavla Mesterova, the 2007 WCC Player of the Year, and Saint Mary's Jessica Hoath, also earning her third all-conference nod.

Individual Awards
Player of the Year
Jenni Heinser, San Francisco

Freshman of the Year
Jenni Heinser, San Francisco

Co-Coach of the Year
Lisa Alipaz, Saint Mary's
Hilary Somers, San Francisco

2008 Women's Singles All-Conference Team First Team
Anamika Bhargava, PEP
Bianca Dulgheru, PEP
Jenni Heinser, USF
Jessica Hoath, SMC
Sylvia Kosakowski, PEP
Pavla Mesterova, LMU

Second Team
Aglaya Kokurina, GON
Helene Lindstrand, USD
Mylene Martin, USF
Stef Ordoveza, SMC
Alex Poorta, SMC
Megan Sporndli, POR

Honorable Mention
Emily Anderson, GON; Tina Razloznik, LMU; Jill Braverman, PEP; Christina Feyen, POR, Lindsey Griffin, POR; Claire Soper, SMC; Jenny Sperry, USF; Maya Davoudi, SCU; Lindsay McBride, SCU; Carmen Pham, SCU

2008 Women's Doubles All-Conference Team First Team
Tamara Tanner & Pavla Mesterova, Loyola Marymount
Bianca Dulgheru & Sylvia Kosakowski, Pepperdine
Jill Braverman & Anamika Bhargava, Pepperdine

Second Team
Megan Sporndli & Lindsey Griffin, Portland
Claire Soper & Alex Poorta, Saint Mary's
Femke Strijbis & Jessica Hoath, Saint Mary's

Honorable Mention
Tania Rice & Anete Bandere, PEP; Jenny Sperry & Emma Taylor, USF; Maya Davoudi & Lindsay McBride, SCU