May 23, 2004

ATHENS, Ga. - Jelena Pandzic picked up another award to place in her trophy-filled room on Sunday when she was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Rookie Player of the Year. She was presented the award at the annual ITA Awards Banquet, held at the University of Georgia.

The honor is the first national award ever received by a Fresno State women's tennis player. The Split, Croatia, native is an All-American this year in singles and has also been named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, first-team All-WAC in singles and doubles and the WAC Freshman of the Year.

Pandzic is currently in the midst of what may be the greatest single season in program history. She is 24-1 at the moment and opens play in the NCAA Singles Tournament on Monday at 10 a.m. ET (7 a.m. PT) against former two-time All-American Bulldog Chloe Carlotti of Mississippi in the first round at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga.

Pandzic has been seeded third in the tournament, the highest ever seeding for a Fresno State women's tennis player.

Pandzic and Carlotti, who began the year on the Bulldogs' roster but transferred to Mississippi at the end of the fall semester, are the only two Fresno State players ever to be named All-America as freshmen.

Pandzic is also participating in the NCAA Doubles Tournament with partner Lucia Tallo. The duo, which is 20-2 and has won 15 in a row, plays Courtney Bergman and Susanna Lingman of Harvard. The time of the match will be announced on Monday.