OSEDUMME, SUAREZ LEAD ALL-SWAC TENNIS HONORS

April 26, 2006

Southern's Francisca Osedumme and Texas Southern's Frank Suarez received top honors as the Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its all-conference honorees Friday (4/21/06) at the conference's tournament banquet held at the Alexandria (La.) Community Center.

Osedumme finished the season with a 9-0 conference mark and a 10-4 overall mark. She also had a 7-1 doubles mark with her doubles partner Sarah Johnson. Suarez finished the conference campaign with a 8-0 conference mark and a 10-1 mark overall in singles and a 9-4 doubles mark.

The banquet was highlighted by keynote speaker Pee Wee Kirkland of the School of Skillz in New York. Kirkland, a schoolyard basketball legend from the early 1970s, encouraged those in attendance to not make a difference in their lives, but be a positive influence in the lives of those they come in contact.

Women's All Conference Honors
First Team
Francisca Osedumme -- Southern
Melanie Brown -- Prairie View A&M
Monique Jones -- Alabama A&M
Batsira Bvunzawabaya -- Alabama A&M
Amber Lindsey -- Alabama State

Second Team
Sarah Johnson -- Southern
Shaniek Pinder -- Alabama A&M
Priscilla Cervantes -- Texas Southern
Janet Namutebi -- Texas Southern

Player of the Year
Francisca Odesumme, Southern

Men's All-Conference Honors
First Team
Ivan Avila -- Texas Southern
Frank Suarez -- Texas Southern
Nicolas Bateman -- Prairie View A&M
Francisco Riveroll -- Texas Southern
Tendai Kuwaza -- Jackson State

Second Team
Marcos Hernandez -- Alcorn State
Jamar Clayton -- Grambling State
Shashank Kulkarni -- Alcorn State
Herve Hicintiker -- Grambling State

Player of the Year
Frank Suarez, Texas Southern