May 27, 2003

LAS VEGAS - UNLV women's tennis star Tracie Chong has been named second team Verizon Academic All-District as selected by the nation's sports information directors.

Chong, who led the Lady Rebels in victories with a singles record of 26-10 during her sophomore season, was a first team All-Mountain West Conference selection on the court. Her 3.89 cumulative grade point average in computer engineering helped her become a rare sophomore selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Only one other second-year player was named to either the first or second teams for District VIII, which is made up of schools in California, Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Utah.

The Verizon at-large team represents the sports of tennis, swimming, gymnastics, crew, skiing and water polo. Student-athletes must be in at least their second season, hold a minimum GPA of 3.20 and be a starter or important reserve to be eligible.

A native of Honolulu, Chong was named UNLV's 2003 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year at ceremonies last month. A two-time MWC player of the week in 2003, she helped her team (16-6 overall) win its first-ever regular-season conference championship and earn a second consecutive bid to the NCAA championships.

Chong is the third UNLV women's tennis player to earn such an award, joining Katarina Malec (second team 2000) and Susie Kocsis (first team 1999).

2003 VERIZON ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT VIII
WOMEN'S AT-LARGE FIRST TEAM
PLAYER             SCHOOL             YEAR      SPORT
Mhairi Brown       Arizona State      Senior    TennisAhsley Clendenin   UNR                Senior    SwimmingClaire Febvay      Arizona        Junior    SwimmingAmanda Grant       BYU                Senior    SwimmingTheresa Kulikowski Utah               Senior    GymnasticsCourtney McKenzie  NAU                Senior    SwimmingJaime Morgan       Southern Utah      Senior    GymnasticsMichelle Orem      California         Senior    CrewPetra Svet         Utah               Senior    SkiingSilvia Tornier     San Diego State    Senior    Tennis
WOMEN'S AT-LARGE SECOND TEAM
Kelly Chan         Long Beach State   Junior    TennisTracie Chong       UNLV                Sophomore TennisNatalie Coughlin   California         Junior    SwimmingIndra Erichsen     San Diego State    Sophomore TennisTalayn Fortunato   Southern Utah      Senior    GymnasticsJackie Frank       Stanford           Senior    Water PoloTara Kirk          Stanford           Junior    SwimmingKristin Parker     UCLA               Senior    GymnasticsLynn Simmons       Oregon State       Senior    CrewBirte Steven       Oregon State       Junior    SwimmingOnnie Willis       UCLA               Senior    Gymnastics