BYUH women's tennis can't win 'em all

By Michael Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The coach and top player of the No. 1 team women's tennis team in the country were nowhere to be seen among the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's list of national award winners yesterday.

The ITA chose Rollins College coach Beverly Buckley over Brigham Young Hawai'i's Dave Porter, whose women's team has won 100 consecutive dual matches and three straight national championships. The Seasider women are undefeated in dual match play since they joined NCAA II in 1998.

BYUH's Petra Gaspar, the No. 1 women's player in Division II, simply didn't have an award to win.

As a junior, she wasn't eligible for ITA awards honoring the top coach, senior player and rookie in Division II tennis. As winner of the past two Honda National Player of the Year awards, Gaspar was too established for the Player to Watch award. An intense, intimidating presence on the court, she also wasn't considered a strong choice for the Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship.

But the Seasiders weren't shut out. Peter Madarassy, the No. 2 ranked player in the country, won the national Player to Watch award. Madarassy is the No. 2 men's player in Division II.

Hawai'i teams were strongly represented in the ITA's regional awards. Porter won West Region Coach of the Year for his No. 2 ranked men's team, but not for BYUH's No. 1 women. The women's coaching award went to Hawai'i Pacific's Henry Somerville, whose team was eliminated from postseason play by UC San Diego on Saturday.

Madarassy won another Player to Watch award for the region. The ITA also recognized two HPU players with regional honors. Wojtek Bratek and Mikael Maatta won West Region Senior Player of the Year and Rookie Player of the Year, respectively.

The BYUH women, owners of 100 straight dual match victories, begin their title defense today against Northeastern State in the first round of the NCAA II Tennis Championships in Pensacola, Fla. In men's tournament matches today, BYUH plays Midwestern State and Hawai'i Pacific plays Francis Marion.

BASKETBALL

• BYUH goes big: Kahuku High standout Micah Casey has signed a letter of intent to play for Brigham Young-Hawai'i.

The 6-foot-7 Casey, who averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks last year, joins a recruiting class that includes 6-11 junior Pablo Broering, 6-9 senior Charlie Naig, and a pair of freshman guards, 6-0 Tyree Gardner and 6-3 Shawn Broadnax, both from San Leandro High in Oakland.