Feb. 24, 2010

LAS VEGAS - UNLV senior star Kristina Nedeltcheva on Wednesday was named the Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis Player of the Week for the first time this season but sixth time of her career.

The native of Sofia, Bulgaria, turned in arguably the best weekend of work in program history, going a combined 6-0 in singles and doubles vs. the top players from three ranked teams. Ranked 45th in the nation individually, she improved her season totals to 20-3 in singles and 15-4 in doubles by not losing even a set along the way. She shocked sixth-ranked Anastasia Petukhova of Fresno State on Friday, rolled past Juliett Coupez of San Diego on Saturday and then knocked off No. 33 Elze Potgieter of Texas A&M on Sunday to extend her unbeaten string in dual matches to 17.

Playing with partner Jana Albers, Nedeltcheva was also perfect in doubles, stunning the 2009 ITA Doubles Team of the Year from Fresno State, winning 8-4 vs. the Toreros and getting by Texas A&M's 52nd-ranked duo in a tiebreaker.

TCU's Slah Mbarek was selected as the Mountain West Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Week.

UNLV will next face Denver on Friday beginning at 10 a.m. at the Fertitta Tennis Complex and then host No. 37 Pepperdine on Sunday at 10 a.m. Admission is free of charge to all UNLV tennis matches.