April 10, 2008

LAS VEGAS - Senior star Elena Gantcheva has become UNLV's and the conference's first player in history to be named women's tennis player of the week eight times in a career, the league announced Thursday.

Ranked 35th in the nation in singles, the native of Sofia, Bulgaria, rolled to a combined 6-0 record in singles and doubles play last weekend during the heart of conference play.

In singles, Gantcheva raised her final home career singles record to 58-14, downing TCU's 63rd-ranked Nina Munch-Soegaard (6-1, 3-6, 6-3), New Mexico's 123rd-ranked Ola Abou-Zekry (1-6, 6-3, 6-2) and San Diego State's Holly Bagshaw (6-2, 6-0).

Teaming with partner Kristina Nedeltcheva at No. 1 doubles, the 48th-ranked duo remained perfect vs. MWC opponents in five outings this spring, collecting a big upset victory over TCU's 12th-ranked Macall Harkins and Anna Sydorska (8-4), UNM's Mackenzie White and Jennifer Ryba (8-6) and SDSU's Kathryn Kitts and Ellie Krausova (8-2).

Overall, Gantcheva improved to 24-10 this season in singles and 18-8 in doubles.

The women's team, ranked 51st, is back in action on Friday when it takes on Wyoming on a neutral-site in San Diego starting at 2 p.m. Utah's Zach Ganger and Miron Mann shared the MWC men's honoree this week.

GANTCHEVA'S ALL-TIME MWC PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARDSApril 10, 2008Feb. 7, 2008Jan. 31, 2008April 4, 2007March 24, 2007March 28, 2006Feb. 1, 2006March 23, 2005