May 22, 2008

LAS VEGAS - Already considered one of the best players in school history, UNLV women's senior tennis star Elena Gantcheva can now add an academic honor to her illustrious resume.

While awaiting her first-round match at the NCAA Doubles Championship in Tulsa, Okla., Gantcheva on Thursday was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Women's At-large Second Team as selected by the nation's sports information directors.

The first woman to be named Mountain West Conference Tennis Player of the Year three times in a career, Gantcheva's 3.49 cumulative grade point average in hotel administration helped her become the first Lady Rebel tennis player to earn a CoSIDA academic honor in five years. A three-time Academic All-MWC honoree, the native of Sofia, Bulgaria, was an All-American in 2006 and finished her career with the highest winning percentage in singles play for any four-year player in UNLV history.

The at-large teams represent 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. UNLV's district includes schools from the states of California, Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada and Utah.

Gantcheva is the fourth UNLV women's tennis player to earn such an award, joining Tracie Chong (second team 2003), Katarina Malec (second team 2000) and Susie Kocsis (first team 1999).