Barbara Oliveira Named GSC Player of the Year as Argos Bring Home Multiple GSC Honors

Derrick Racine Named GSC Coach of the Year as Four Argos are Named to All-GSC Tennis Team

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Four members of the No. 9-ranked and back-to-back Gulf South Conference (GSC) Champion University of West Florida women’s tennis team were honored today as members of the All-GSC First and Second Teams, the GSC announced this morning. In addition, UWF senior Barbara Oliveira was named the GSC Player of the Year and head coach Derrick Racine received his eighth GSC Coach of Year award.

For the second straight year, UWF women’s tennis coach Derrick Racine received GSC Coach of the Year accolades. It is the eighth time that Racine has been named conference coach of the year, which is a league record. This is the 10th time that a UWF women’s tennis coach has received the honor. This season, Racine led the Argos to their 12th GSC Championship. West Florida became back-to-back GSC Champions last Sunday, as the Argos won the GSC Women’s Tennis Championships in Montgomery, Ala.

West Florida senior Barbara Oliveira (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) was named GSC Player of the Year and is a member of the All-GSC First Team. Oliveira, who redshirted last season due to an injury, was also a member of the 2010 All-GSC First Team. She is currently the No. 29 singles player in the nation and ranks 11th in the South Region. She is 9-8 this season in singles and went 4-1 in conference play. In doubles, she has teamed with Mariana Sonnervig (Sao Paulo, Brazil) this season and is 14-7, with all matches being played at the No. 2 doubles position.

Two additional Argos were named to the eight-member All-GSC First Team. UWF freshman Sheila Smiley (Richmond Hill, Ontario) received the honor in her first year as an Argonaut. So far this season, Smiley has compiled a 12-8 record in singles, including a 4-1 mark at the No. 3 position. During the regular season, she was 5-1 against the GSC. In doubles, she and Caitlyn Baines (Fort Walton Beach) are the No. 18 ranked doubles tandem in the nation. The duo is the No. 6 team in the South Region. West Florida junior Sonnervig received first-team honors for the first time. Sonnervig is 12-9 in singles this season and went 6-1 in GSC play. She is 14-7 this season in doubles, all with Oliveira.

UWF senior Baines is making her third appearance on the All-GSC Second Team. She was also named to the Second Team in 2010 and 2011. In singles, Baines is 15-7 this season, including 7-2 at the No. 5 line. She went 3-1 in singles during GSC regular season play. In doubles, she teams with Smiley to form the No. 18 doubles team in the nation. The duo is 16-4 this season, with all matches being played at the No. 1 position. They were 3-0 against GSC competition during the regular season.

West Florida, which is the No. 3 seed in the South Region, will play No. 6-seed Florida Southern on April 30th in the opening round of South Regional #2 of the NCAA Championships. The host of the regional is No. 2-seed Lynn, which is located in Boca Raton. First serve is set for 2 p.m. eastern. Results and a recap of the match will be available on GoArgos.com. The winner of the NCAA South Regional #2 will advance to the NCAA Championships to be played May 16-19th in Louisville, Ky. For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.

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2012 ALL-GSC WOMEN’S TENNIS TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Player - School - Year- Hometown
! Barbara Oliveira - West Florida - Sr. - Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Sheila Smiley - West Florida - Fr. - Richmond Hill, Ontario
Mariana Sonnervig - West Florida - Jr. - Sao Paulo, Brazil
#! Victoria Rees - North Alabama - Sr. - Cheltenham, England
# Mackenzie Bishop - North Alabama - Jr. - Florence, Ala.
Juliana Boehm - Valdosta State - So. -Kirschberg, Germany
# Sarah Braun - Valdosta State - So. - Cologne, Germany
Michelle Fischer - Valdosta State - Fr. - Aachen, Germany

# - 2011 All-GSC First Team
! – 2010 All-GSC First Team

Player of the Year – Barbara Oliveira, West Florida
Freshman of the Year – Michelle Fischer, Valdosta State
Coach of the Year – Derrick Racine, West Florida

SECOND TEAM
Player - School - Year - Hometown
^! Lisa Jamais - Delta State - Jr. - Reunion Island, France
# Erin Teivans - Delta State - So. - Adelaide, Australia
# Alina Nagel - Valdosta State - So. - Butzbach, Germany
Natalia Cardenas -West Alabama - So. - Bogota, Colombia
*% Caitlyn Baines - West Florida - Sr. - Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

^# - 2011 All-GSC First Team
! – 2010 All-GSC First Team
^ - 2009 All-GSC First Team
% - 2011 All-GSC Second Team
* - 2010 All-GSC Second Team
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