HRYNASHKA NAMED BIG SKY WOMEN’S TENNIS COACH OF THE YEAR FOR THIRD STRAIGHT SEASON

5/3/2010

OGDEN, Utah - Sacramento State head women’s tennis coach Dima Hrynashka has been named Big Sky Conference Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year for the third straight season, in a vote by the league’s coaches.

Hrynashka led the Hornets to a 19-6 record and their ninth straight conference title during the spring of 2010. Sacramento State posted a perfect 8-0 record in the Big Sky in the regular season before defeating both Montana State and Northern Arizona, 4-0, in the conference tournament.

The native of Belarus juggled a lineup that saw many of his top players miss time due to injury at various points of the season. The Hornets reached as high as the No. 34 ranking in the country under his watch, which marks the third straight year the team has been ranked in the top 35 at one junction of the season.

Four Hornets earned all-Big Sky Conference honors this season under Hrynashka’s leadership, with sophomore Tatsiana Kapshai earning Big Sky MVP honors. Sophomore Maria Meliuk was a first team selection for the second straight year, while sophomore Clarisse Baca and freshman Rebeca Delgado earned the honor for the first time. Baca was a second team selection a season ago.

Under Hrynashka, the Hornets have continued four streaks that have made the Sacramento State women’s tennis program the team to beat in the Big Sky. The team has won nine straight Big Sky Conference titles, earning the Hornets nine straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Hornets have won 72 consecutive matches over Big Sky Conference competition dating back to 2002, and have had eight straight Big Sky Conference MVP’s.

Sacramento State finds out where they will play in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Tuesday, May 4 during the selection show, which will take place on ESPNews. The pairings will air that day between 2 and 3 p.m. PDT. The tournament will get underway at campus sites on May 14 with first round play, while the second round will follow a day later on May 15.