March 7, 2006

WACO, Texas - Baylor's Zuzana Zemenova, ranked 12th nationally, was named the Big 12's Women's Tennis Player of the Week today by the conference office. Today's honor is the first announcement for the 2006 spring season. This is Zemenova's first time to be given the Big 12 Player of the Week award, but in 2005, she was the Big 12's Player of the Year.

Zemenova earned the award with her four outstanding victories in No. 1 singles last week which helped the Bears tally as many team wins. The No. 12 sophomore highlighted the week's play by defeating the nation's fourth ranked Nicole Leimbach of TCU. Zemenova rallied after losing the first set to a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 win in order to clinch to overall match for No. 16 Baylor over the No. 12 Horned Frogs. Also in the week, Zemenova again bested a ranked opponent when she beat Fresno State's No. 61 Melanie Gloria, 6-4, 6-0. Baylor went on to shutout No. 39 Fresno State 7-0.

Zemenova's last two wins of the week came against conference opponents. She defeated Nebraska's Kim Hartmann 6-2, 6-1 and Oklahoma State's Iryna Tkachenko, 6-4, 6-2, another clutch victory that sealed the team's win. The Bears earned conference wins against No. 43 Nebraska (6-1) and Oklahoma State (6-1).

The defending singles champion boasts a 15-3 overall record and 7-3 record against ranked opponents, both include fall matches. In her spring dual matches, Zemenova's record is 9-3, which includes her 3-0 conference mark.

Along with Zemenova, Texas Tech's Dimitrio Martinez earned the men's tennis' Big 12 Player of the Week award.

Zemenova and the Bears will continue conference play on March 11 when they travel to Columbia, Mo., to face Missouri at 1 p.m.