Lady Rebel Freshman Karen Nijssen Earns All-SEC Honors

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Freshman Karen Nijssen of the Ole Miss women’s tennis team earned All-SEC second team honors as well as being named to the first ever All-Freshman Team, as the 2008 women’s tennis yearly awards were announced by the conference office Wednesday. 

The Holland native posted a 6-5 record in the SEC at No. 1 and 2 singles and teamed with senior Nika Koukhartchouk for an 8-3 mark at No. 1 doubles.    She is ranked No. 99 in singles and No. 35 in doubles.  Nijssen helped lead the Lady Rebels to three wins in their final four matches, including No. 22 Kentucky and No. 16 Arkansas.

Nijssen became the second freshman under head coach Mark Beyers to earn All-SEC honors.

“This is a great honor for Karen,” Beyers said.  “To earn All-SEC honors in this league playing at the top of the lineup is quite an accomplishment.  She has placed herself among the best players in the nation.  Karen has a great future here.”

The Lady Rebels are the No. 10 seed in the SEC Championship and will face No. 7 Kentucky Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Yarbrough Tennis Center in Auburn, Ala. 

Ole Miss defeated Kentucky 5-2 in Oxford earlier this year. The match was played indoors, and the Lady Rebels took the doubles point and the top three singles spots for the win.

“We are excited about beginning the SEC Championship,” Beyers said.  To win three of our last four matches, including two against Top 25 teams, shows that the girls never gave up.  We played a tough non-conference schedule and had some close losses in the SEC.  Hopefully we can get another win over Kentucky.”

To follow the Lady Rebels during the tournament, go to www.OleMissSports.com and click on the live stats link in the upcoming events box.

Coach of the Year:  Michael Hegarty, Arkansas

Player of the Year: Fani Chifchieva, Auburn

Freshman of the Year: Julia Cohen, Florida

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Aurelija Miseviciute, Arkansas

All-Freshman Team

Tiffany Welcher, Alabama

Julia Cohen, Florida

Cameron Ellis, Georgia

Megan Broderick, Kentucky

Karen Nijssen, Ole Miss

Keilly Ulery, Vanderbilt

All-SEC First Team

Aurelija Miscviciute, Arkansas*

Ela Kaluder, Arkansas*

Fani Chifchieva, Auburn*

Alex Haney, Auburn

Whitney Benik, Florida

Julia Cohen, Florida

Csilla Borsanyi, Florida

Monica Dancevic, Georgia

Yvette Hyndman, Georgia*

Megan Falcon, LSU*

Taka Bertrand, Vanderbilt

Amanda Taylor, Vanderbilt*

All-SEC Second Team

Anastasia Revzina, Florida

Megan Alexander, Florida

Naoka Ueshima, Georgia

Cameron Ellis, Georgia

Megan Broderick, Kentucky

Christine Johnston, Kentucky

Hannah Robinson, LSU

Gira Schofield, South Carolina

Ana Maria Zubori, South Carolina

Natasa Vuckovic, South Carolina

Caitlin Whoriskey, Tennessee

Catherine Newman, Vanderbilt

Karen Nijssen, Ole Miss

*unanimous

The University of Mississippi Athletics

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