DIEGO BENITEZ EARNS WOMEN'S TENNIS COACH OF THE YEAR, GUIDES SIX MAVERICKS TO ALL-SLC HONORS

April 23, 2009

Frisco, Texas - For the first time in his career, Diego Benitez was named women's tennis coach of the year by the Southland Conference on Thursday, April 23. Benitez led the women to a perfect 11-0 SLC record and guided six Mavericks to post-season honors.

On the women's side, Benitez guided three freshmen to All-SLC honors in first team honoree Nikola Matovivoa while Maria Martinez-Romer and Katarina Mlcochova earned second team accolades.

Matovivoa went undefeated with an 11-0 record in league play, including a 6-0 mark at the No. 6 position. Teammate Maria Martinez-Romer also went undefeated this season in the No. 5 position, where she was 5-0 and finished the regular season with an 18-2 mark. Mlcochova posted a 10-1 conference record, collecting most of her wins in the No. 4 spot.

No. 2 doubles team, Matovivoa and Martinez-Romer collected second team All-SLC honors after posted an 8-1 mark in conference action and finishing the regular season on a six-game win streak.

On the men's side, Mindaugas Celedinas was named the 2009 SLC Freshman of the Year. Celedinas is only the third Maverick in men's tennis history to earn the recognition. The Lithuania, Vilnius, native stepped into the No.1 single's position with ease, recording an 11-8 mark and 4-2 record in league play. He also was one of two UTA players to be named to the All-SLC second team.

Junior Gonzalo Bienzobas was selected to the All-SLC first team as he finished the regular season with a 10-8 mark in both No. 5 and No. 6 singles positions.

Joining Celedinas on the second team is teammate David Subirats, the Mavericks' top option at No. 4 singles this season.

The 2009 Southland Conference Men's and Women's Tennis Championship begins Friday at the HEB Tennis Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Two opening round games will be played Friday with two semifinals to follow on Saturday. The championship game will be played noon on Sunday.