Feb. 3, 2006

LAS VEGAS - UNLV super sophomore Elena Gantcheva earned her second career Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week honor the league announced Friday.

Ranked eighth in the nation, Gantcheva went a combined 6-0 in singles and doubles last weekend as her school opened its season by posting three straight shutouts for the first time since 1994.

A native of Sofia, Bulgaria, Gantcheva played at the top singles spot and defeated Nevada, Reno's Caroline Bailly (6-2, 6-4), New Mexico State's Isabelle Mignot (6-2, 6-4) and Weber State's Elana Smit (6-0, 6-1). In doubles, Gantcheva teamed with Nikol Dimitrova to defeat those same three schools' top doubles teams. With her singles wins, Gantcheva reached 50 career victories faster than anyone in school history (63 matches).

Gantcheva improved to 19-5 overall in singles and 7-3 in doubles. She won her first MWC honor on March 23, 2005.

The 39th-ranked Lady Rebels get back in to action tomorrow when they host UC Riverside beginning at 10 a.m.

San Diego State's Benedikt Stronk was named this week's MWC Men's Tennis Player of the Week.