Megan Bradley Named ACC Player of the Year
April 20, 2005
<?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>GREENSBORO, N.C. – No. 1 ranked Megan Bradley was tabbed the 2005 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year as announced by the conference Wednesday evening. <?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The Hurricanes, who finished with a 9-1 mark in league play and an 18-3 overall record, placed a league-high three student-athletes on this year’s All-ACC team as did Clemson, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. Joining Bradley on the All-ACC team is sophomore Audrey Banada and freshman Patricia Starzyk.
Bradley has amassed a 20-0 undefeated record in dual-match play en route to a 39-1 overall mark–a UM single-season record. After dropping her first and only match of the season on October 15, 2004, Bradley has gone on to win 34-straight matches. The Columbia, Mo. native became the first Hurricane player since Ronni Reis in 1988 to be ranked as the top collegiate player in the nation, a distinction she has held for seven consecutive weeks this season.
The Miami senior earned a league-high four ACC Player of the Week honors, including back-to-back accolades on March 28th and April 4th.
Bradley has received conference accolades every year of her collegiate career, having done so in three different conferences. As a freshman, Bradley earned PAC-10 Freshman of the Year honors as a member of the UCLA squad. After transferring to Miami her sophomore year, Bradley was named the BIG EAST’s Most Outstanding Tournament Player and earned the accolade once again her junior season. This season, she was named ACC Player of the Year after posting a perfect 10-0 conference mark at the No. 1 singles position.
Banada, who has won 14-consecutive matches, has compiled a 16-3 overall record and is unbeaten in nine league matches this season playing mostly at the No. 5 and No. 6 position. The North Miami Beach, Fla. native pairs up with Bradley to become the nation’s No. 2 ranked doubles tandem. Together, the pair has posted a 25-2 overall record, including a 16-1 mark in dual-match play.
Starzyk had won 20-consecutive matches before dropping her first match in the Hurricanes’ final regular season match against Georgia Tech. Playing primarily at the No. 4 position since joining the Hurricanes in January, Starzyk has compiled a 20-1 overall record including a 9-1 mark in ACC play.
The Hurricanes received a first-round bye into the quarterfinals of the ACC Championship as the tournament’s No. 2 seed. Ranked 12th in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) rankings, the Hurricanes will play the winner of Thursday’s #7 Duke vs. #10 NC State match Friday at 3:00 p.m. at the CaryTennisCenter in Cary, N.C.
2005 ACC All-Conference Team
Audrey Banada………………………………… Miami
Katie Blaszak……………………………………. Duke
Megan Bradley………………………………… Miami
Maria Brito………………………………….. Clemson
Ramona But……………………………….. Maryland
Kendall Cline……………………….. North Carolina
Karin Coetzee………………………….. WakeForest
Julie Coin…………………………………….. Clemson
Ashlee Davis…………………………… WakeForest
Anat Elazari…………………………… Virginia Tech
Romy Farah…………………………………. Clemson
Jenna Long………………………….. North Carolina
Kristi Miller……………………………. Georgia Tech
Aniela Mojzis……………………….. North Carolina
Mihaela Moldovan……………………. FloridaState
Dasha Potapova………………………. Georgia Tech
Alison Silverio………………………… Georgia Tech
Patricia Starzyk……………………………….. Miami
Player of the Year
Megan Bradley………………………………… Miami
Freshman of the Year
Kristi Miller……………………………. Georgia Tech
Coach of the Year
Bryan Shelton…………………………. Georgia Tech
