March 28, 2006

LAS VEGAS - UNLV super sophomore Elena Gantcheva won her third career Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week Award, the league announced Tuesday.

Gantcheva, who is currently ranked 22nd in the nation, went 3-0 last weekend at the top position vs. MWC opponents to improve her overall singles record to 27-8.

The native of Sofia, Bulgaria, upset 18th-ranked Olga Boulytcheva of BYU, downed Utah's Elizabeth Ferris in straight sets and routed San Diego State's Dita Hauerlandova. The last of those victories helped the Lady Rebels upset the 36th-ranked Aztecs and move her team from 63 to 45 in this week's Fila ITA rankings.

Gantcheva also won the award on Feb. 2 of this year and March 23, 2005. TCU's Andrei Mlendea won this week's MWC men's award.