Women’s tennis improves to 9-3
The Elon women’s tennis team defeated UNC-Asheville Bulldogs 7-0 March 4, but lost to No. 63 UNC-Wilmington Seahawks 5-2 Feb. 28, moving their record to 9-3 for the 2012 season.
The Phoenix had strong play from sophomore Jordan Johnston against the Bulldogs. She won her No. 1 singles match over UNCA sophomore Zoe Hamel 6-1, 6-0. Sophomore Frida Jansaker joined Johnston to win No. 1 doubles, improving the duo’s season record to 10-1 this season. Freshman Barbora Lazarova, sophomore Viviana Stavreva, junior Briana Berne and freshman Maria Camara Ruiz all earned singles victories, while Lazarova/Stareva and Berne/Camara Ruiz each won doubles matches against the Bulldogs.
Against the Seahawks, the Phoenix lost all but one of the six singles matches. Jansaker picked up the lone singles victory, while Jansaker/Johnston and Camara Ruiz/Berne won doubles matches to earn Elon the doubles point in the match, but the Bulldogs ended the Phoenix’s six-match winning streak.
Men’s tennis wins first SoCon match of 2012, shutout conference foe Bulldogs
The Elon men’s tennis team shut out The Citadel Bulldogs March 4, getting a 7-0 victory to start the 2012 Southern Conference schedule.
“It was good to get this first SoCon victory,” said Elon men’s tennis head coach Michael Leonard. “I really think this team and these young guys are getting better with each match.”
The Phoenix swept the doubles matches, getting an 8-1 win from the No. 2 doubles pair of freshmen Stefan Fortmann and Jordan Kaufman. The pairs of freshmen Christopher Geaslen/sophomore Andrew Prince and sophomore Cameron Silverman/senior Eric Turner also won matches over the Bulldogs.
Freshmen Juan Madrid, Fortmann, Silverman, Prince, Turner and Kaufman won singles matches to give the Phoenix a 4-6 overall record for the 2012 season.
The team will take on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga at home March 10 at noon.
Women’s golf ties for third at Kiawah Island Intercollegiate
In a field featuring seven of the top 100 Division I women’s golf teams, the Elon Phoenix finished tied for third at the Kiawah Island Intercollegiate.
No. 80 Augusta State University won the tournament with a final score of 877, while No. 78 UNC-Greensboro finished second with 899. No. 54 Campbell University tied the Phoenix with a final score of 903.
Junior Martyna Mierzwa led Elon with a 223 to tie for tenth in a field of 179 players. Junior Diana Davis finished tied for 14th with a final score of 225, while senior Virginia Mayer shot a 226 and tied for 17th.
The Phoenix’s next match is the JMU/Eagle Landing Invitational March 9 in Jacksonville, Fla.
Former sports anchor and Elon adjunct professor Rich Brenner dies at 65
Former Fox8 sports anchor and Phoenix Club Advisory Board member Rich Brenner passed away Feb. 27. He was 65.
Brenner was very active in Elon athletics during his lifetime. He was the emcee of The Night of the Phoenix in 2011. He occasionally filled in as the public address announcer for the Phoenix and taught Elon’s sports broadcasting class in fall 2007.
Brenner is survived by his wife Judy, a daughter, son and two grandsons.
Fry named assistant volleyball coach
Elon volleyball head coach Mary Tendler announced Feb. 28 that Jennifer Fry was hired as an assistant volleyball coach.
“Jen is a great addition to our volleyball program at Elon University,” Tendler said. “She has only been here a week and has already made a positive impact in the gym and on the recruiting trail.”
Fry has been a volunteer assistant for national runner-up University of Illinois, the assistant coach and chief recruiter at Washington State University and the head coach at Norfolk State University from 2007 to 2010.