Two Lady Jackets Named Tennis All-Conference (5/11/06)

BILLINGS, MT – Montana State-Billings tennis players Brianne Roney and Nikki Byrnes were named to the All-Heartland Conference Tennis Team in voting by the league’s coaches.  The Yellowjackets finished their season at the Heartland Conference Tournament in late April.  They defeated Western New Mexico in the opening round before losing out to eventual champion Incarnate Word in the semifinals.

Roney is a junior from Cody, Wyoming.  She played No. 1 singles and No. 2 doubles for the Yellowjackets this season.  In singles play Roney was 3-14 overall, and in doubles she was 7-12. 

Byrnes is a sophomore from Brisbane, Australia.  She was the Jackets’ No. 2 singles player and joined Roney on the No. 2 doubles team.  Byrnes was 6-12 in singles play this season and 7-12 in doubles.

Conference champion Incarnate Word placed six players on the all-conference team, and St. Edward’s had four.  Lincoln, St. Mary’s, and Western New Mexico were each represented by one player on the all-conference team. 

Andrea Adamson of St. Edward’s was selected as the player of the year.  The outstanding senior was Aliona Dvornikova from Lincoln.  Incarnate Word’s Sarah Carswell was the freshman of the year, and the Cardinals’ John Newman was named coach of the year.