South Carolina State's men's and women's tennis teams swept top honors as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced the 2011 All-MEAC First and Second teams on Thursday. All awards were voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
For the second consecutive season, Lady Bison head coach Larry Strickland earned his second consecutive Coach of the Year honor after guiding Howard's women's program to a 10-8 overall record and a 5-0 sweep in conference play to garner the northern divisional title. Strickland was also named the Coach of the Year on the men's side after leading the Bison to a 4-0 finish in conference play and its first conference divisional title since 2008.
South Carolina State senior Daria Sekerina was named the women's 2011 MEAC Player of the Year while teammate AKilah James earned Rookie of the Year honors.
Daria Sekerina was named to her third all-conference first team after finishing undefeated in conference play this season boasting a 4-0 mark in singles and double play. She tallied a 14-3 overall record at the number one singe's position and 13-2 in doubles action. Sekerina is currently ranked 93rd in singles in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national rankings.
AKilah James also finished perfect in conference play in singles matches this season. James posted a 15-2 overall record at the number three single's position. She also won 15 straight double matches this season. In addition to earning the Rookie of the Year honor, James was also named to the All-MEAC second team.
Joining Sekerina and James on the women's All-MEAC First-Team are teammates Maria Craciun and Sabrina Mendez. Florida A&M's Alexis Brown and Howard's Katelyn Stokes also earned first team honors.
On the men's side, South Carolina State junior Dmytro Kovalevych was named the Player of the Year. Fellow Bulldog teammate Artemiy Nikitin received the Rookie of the Year.
Kovalevych collected 11 wins and just two losses at the number two singles position this season. He finished 3-0 in conference play in both singles and double play and rolled to a 9-1 record in his last ten matches of the regular season.
Nikitin posted a 13-2 overall mark and 3-0 record in southern divisional matches. He finished the regular season with a 10-2 mark at the number three doubles position to earn the Rookie of the Year honor. Along with his women's counterpart, Nikitin was named to the All-MEAC second team.
Along with Kovalecych, SCSU's Aton Prostenko and Peteris Vinogradous earned First-Team honors. Florida A&M's Gabriel Chidi, Levan Clark and Tekura Happy joined Norfolk State's Arsenio Culver on the men's first- team.
The 2011 MEAC Men's and Women's Tennis Championship begins with women's play on Friday, April 15 at 8:30 a.m. The women's semi-final rounds start on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. followed by the men at Noon. The Championship concludes on Sunday with the women's final beginning at 9 a.m. followed by the men's title match at Noon.
The Championship is free and open to the public.