General Info/Table of Contents - SIDEARM Sports

General Info/Table of Contents

General Information

Location: Pullman, Wash. Founded: 1890 Enrollment: 23,300 President: Elson S. Floyd Faculty Representative: Ken Casavant Home Facilities: The WSU Outdoor Tennis Center Simmelink Courts of Hollingbery Fieldhouse Nickname: Cougars Colors: Crimson and Gray Conference: Pacific-10 Affiliation: NCAA Division I

Athletic Administration

Director of Athletics: Jim Sterk Senior Associate Director of Athletics/SWA: Anne McCoy Sport Supervisor: Chris Cook, Associate Director of Athletics

Tennis Staff

Head Coach: Lisa Hart (tennis@wsu.edu) 509-335-0310

Assistant Coach: Courtney Steinbock

Office Location: Bohler Athletic Complex M40 Mailing Address: PO Box 641602

Pullman, WA 99164-1602 Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 5/4 Web Site:

Sports Information

Director: Bill Stevens Assistant Directors: Linda Chalich, Craig Lawson,

Jessica Schmick, Joe Nickell Intern: Erica Beck Tennis SID: Kyle Vetter (kjvetter@) Student Assistants: Cory Rice, Jaime Schroeder, Kyle Vetter,

Michael Walsh Office: 509-335-COUG Fax: 509-335-0267 Office Location: Bohler Athletic Complex 195

Washington State University Athletic Department Mission Statement

It is the mission of the Athletic Department to create and foster an environment which provides opportunities for all student-athletes to enrich their collegiate experience through participation on athletic teams which are competitive at the conference and national level. In concert with the mission and values of Washington State University, the department is dedicated to providing opportunities, which will enhance the intellectual, physical, social, moral and cultural development of the whole person, while conducting all activities with honesty and integrity in accordance with the principles of good sportsmanship and ethical conduct. The Athletic Department values gender and ethnic diversity and is committed to providing equitable opportunities for all students and staff. The department will pursue its mission while upholding the values, purposes and policies of Washington State University, the Pacific-10 Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Table of Contents

Indoor/Outdoor Tennis Facilities................................... 2

COACHES...................................................................... 3 Lisa Hart......................................................................4-5 Courtney Steinbock....................................................... 6 Support Staff................................................................. 6

PLAYERS......................................................................... 7 Season Preview/2008 Roster......................................8-9 Ekaterina Burduli.......................................................... 10 Kara Konomos............................................................. 11 Aleksandra Stefanova.................................................. 12 Jessica Casebier............................................................ 13 Aleksandra Cekic......................................................... 14 Livia Gherman............................................................. 15 Jessica Gomez.............................................................. 16 Ekaterina Kamendova.................................................. 17 Marina Nicolas............................................................ 18 Bianca Selaru............................................................... 19 Cougar Tennis............................................................. 20

2008 Opponents...................................................... 21 Pac-10 Conference...................................................... 22 Opponents.............................................................23-26

Season in Review/History..................................... 27 Season in Review......................................................... 28 Top 10 Lists................................................................. 29 Season/NCAA/ITA....................................................... 30 Letterwinners............................................................... 31 Year-by-Year Results................................................32-34

UNIVERSITY................................................................. 35 Notable Alumni......................................................36-37 World Class. Face to Face............................................ 38 Diversity....................................................................... 39 Student-Athlete Development...............................40-41 Weight Room.........................................................42-43 Athletic Medicine...................................................44-45 Women's Success........................................................ 46

University Administration............................................ 47 Cougars in the Community......................................... 48

Credits This publication was written and edited by Kyle Vetter and Bill Stevens, WSU Sports Information; design and layout by Diana Whaley; publication coordination by Steve Rigby, University Publishing; photography by Rod Commons, Jason Krump, and Bill Stevens, WSU Sports Information, and Bob Hubner and Shelly Hanks, WSU Photo Services. Additional photos provided by Cougar Tennis.

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Indoor/Outdoor WSU Tennis Facilities

Washington State University tennis facilities have seen some major upswing over the past two years with the addition of a new outdoor tennis center and the renovation of the Cougars' indoor facilities.

In the spring of 2007, a new outdoor tennis center was completed and serves as the outdoor home of Cougar tennis. The facility is named the WSU Outdoor Tennis Center and hosted its first matches during the fall of 2007.

The state-of-the-art facility features 12 lighted courts, an adjacent clubhouse, PlexiPave tennis surface, and improved spectator viewing areas.

The indoor tennis facility in Hollingbery Fieldhouse received a renovation in the fall of 2006. The facility has served a variety of purposes for WSU Athletics over the years as the indoor training facility for tennis, track and field, rowing, and baseball, now the women's tennis team is the primary resident of the facility.

During the renovation the number of courts was decreased from five to four which allows for the maximum amount area between courts. An upgraded lighting system allows for multiple light levels depending upon scheduled events. The system is on a sensor that allows the lights to maximize energy efficiency while maintaining consistent light level throughout the facility. PlexiPave was also the surface laid down which made the facilities meet NCAA and Pac-10 standards for play.

Along with the upgrades the tennis facility has been named "The Simmelink Courts at Hollingbery Fieldhouse" in honor of Cougar supporter and donor Audrey Simmelink.

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Lisa Hart

Head Coach Fifth Year

Coaches

Lisa Hart enters her fifth season as the Washington State University head women's tennis coach.

Last season, Hart guided her squad to a 14-11 overall record; the winning record is the second straight for the Cougars for the first time since the 1994-95 season and 1995-96 season. The Pacific-10 Conference schedule was highlighted by a 4-3 victory over the No. 23 Oregon Ducks. The win marks the highest ranked opponent the Cougars have beaten since the 2003 season where they beat Oregon who was also ranked No. 23 at the time.

The Cougars' 2007 schedule was to be one of the toughest the women's tennis team had ever faced. WSU played 13 nationally-ranked opponents, emerging victorious in four of those contests: No. 30 BYU, No. 47 Sacramento State, No. 54 Alabama, and No. 23 Oregon. During the season Hart guided the Cougars to three different three-match winning streaks.

The 2006-07 Cougar team started off the year ranked No. 66 nationally. The dual-match season began with a five match winning streak which propelled the Cougars to a No. 56 ranking. Wins over No. 30 BYU and No. 47 Sacramento State helped them jump to a season-high No. 41 ranking. The Cougars ended the season ranked No. 50.

Under Hart, Marjolein van de Ven won 24 matches for the Cougars, tying her for fifth all time on the Cougars singleseason record list. Ekaterina Burduli captured 23 wins for the Cougars, tying her for ninth all time, while pushing her career total to 63, one shy of the Cougars' top 10 list.

During the 2005-06 season, Coach Hart led the Cougars to a season high ranking of No. 69. The season was highlighted by three victories over ranked opponents No. 73 Boise State, No. 75 Loyola Marymount and No. 61 South Alabama. Coach Hart led the Cougars to their first winning season since 2000-01 with a record of 14-12.

During the 2004-05 season, Hart led the Cougars to a season high ranking of No. 64, bolstered by upsets wins over

nationally-ranked San Diego and Santa Clara. The season ended with a 9-14 record and included notable wins against Cal State Northridge, Montana, and Idaho. The Cougars took three nationally-ranked teams to the wire, losing 4-3 to No. 25 BYU, No. 44 Iowa and No. 73 Colorado.

During the 2003-04 season, Hart's first at WSU, the Cougars were ranked No. 51 and captured three wins over ranked opponents. WSU's biggest victory came at No. 23 Oregon

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in mid-March. The Cougars also defeated Oklahoma State and San Diego State, both ranked in the top 50 nationally at the time.

During Hart's tenure with the Cougars she has been dedicated to community outreach. She was selected as the winner of the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Community Service Award by the United States Tennis Association and Intercollegiate Tennis Association. The award is to honor ITA coaches for their significant contributions in developing community based tennis programs through community centers, schools, parks, community tennis associations, inner city, suburban or rural programs.

Currently, Hart is the chairperson of the ITA Northwest Regional Committee and the representative for the ITA National Operating Committee for the Northwest Region.

Prior to WSU, Hart spent three seasons at Virginia Tech where she guided the Hokies to a 45-36 record in three seasons including third-place finishes each year in the Big East Conference.

During the 2002-03 season, Hart's Virginia Tech squad concluded the year ranked 69th nationally and eighth in the East region. The Hokies posted victories over No. 27 Oregon, No. 65 Marshall, No. 66 Middle Tennessee State, No. 67 Florida Atlantic and No. 72 Penn State. Hart was a member of the International Tennis Association (ITA) East Region committee from 2001-03 and chaired the committee in 2002-03. The East Region is the largest region in the United States with over 80 schools.

Prior to Virginia Tech, Hart served as the assistant women's tennis coach at the University of Nebraska for two years. While on the Nebraska staff, she helped the Cornhuskers compile a two year record of 36-13, including a 19-5 record in 2000.

Hart was a tennis standout at Nebraska, finishing her career as one of the most successful women's tennis players in school

Head Coach Lisa Hart and husband John with their daughter Mary Beth and dog Daphne.

history. She recorded 74 career singles victories winning the Big 12 Conference No. 2 singles title as a senior.

Hart, the 1995 Big Eight Freshman of the Year, was the first women's tennis player at Nebraska to win a conference singles title since 1978 and only the sixth player in Cornhuskers' history. She was selected to the all-conference team twice and upon graduation her 74 wins ranked No. 3 on the school's career singles victory list.

Her dedication and excellence on the court was matched in the classroom as Hart was a three-time academic all-conference selection, earning first-team academic All-Big 12 honors as a senior. She was selected by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as the Central Region's "Cissie Learie Sportsmanship Award" winner, one of six throughout the country. As a senior, Hart also

received the Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award.

A native of Sunnyside, Wash., Hart had an outstanding high school career at Sunnyside High where she was a three-time State champion. She also earned All-America honors as a high school sophomore. Hart earned a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Nebraska and also holds a master's degree in education with an emphasis in physical education and sports studies from Nebraska.

Hart and her husband John, an attorney, reside in Pullman with their one-year-old daughter, Mary Beth, and their bassett hound, Daphne.

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