Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Ready for 2006 Central Region Championship
October 17, 2006 | Cowgirl Tennis
The Oklahoma State women's tennis team will travel to Tulsa, Okla. to compete at the 2006 Wilson/ITA Central Region Championship at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center Oct. 18-22.
The individual tournament will feature a qualifying and main draw as well as a main draw for doubles action.
Senior Lauren Simmons, junior Iryna Tkachenko and freshman Natalia Shatkovskaya will all participate in the main draw of the tournament.
Seniors Jennifer Poskitt and Marta Tsivka, juniors Yawna Allen and Jessica Collins and sophomore Zuzanna Osinska will try to make their way through the qualifying bracket.
In doubles play, the Cowgirls will shake up their lineup. Allen and Shatkovskaya will stay together after a strong performance at the Aggie Invitational in September. The new teams will consist of Simmons and Tkachenko, Tsivka and Osinska and Poskitt and Collins.
The tournament is scheduled to start Wednesday with qualifying rounds. The main draw kicking off on Thursday.
Two Champions Crowned at Aggie Invitational
The Cowgirl tennis team crowned two champions at last month's Aggie Invitational in Las Cruces, N.M. The most impressive tournament performance came from Shatkovskaya in her debut as a Cowgirl. The freshman rolled in all three wins and won her flight. Collins also had a solid weekend as she also won her flight. Simmons, Tkachenko and Osinska also left Las Cruces with winning records but failed to win their flights.
Cowgirl Returners
The Cowgirl lineup features a wealth of experience as head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski's squad features seven returning letter winners. Junior Iryna Tkachenko, the Cowgirl's No. 1 player a year ago, will look to regain the form that made her an All-Big 12 selection her freshman season.
Senior Lauren Simmons, who split time between No. 2 and No. 3 singles last season, also returns to the Cowgirls. Simmons was an Academic All-American last season, as well as a Big 12 Player of the Week selection.
The Cowgirls also return another former Big 12 Player of the Week in Yawna Allen. The junior spent most of the 2006 spring season at the No. 4 spot.
Also returning are senior Jennifer Poskitt, junior Jessica Collins and sophomore Zuzanna Osinska. The trio all split time at No. 6 singles last season, with Poskitt leading the way with a 7-4 record.
Marta Tsivka, the Big 12 Champion at No. 5 singles last season, also returns this season but will not travel to the Aggie Invitational.
Newcomers
The only scholarship newcomer this season is freshman Natalia Shatkouskaya. The talented newcomer hails from Minsk, Belarus. The Cowgirls only had one scholarship available after losing only Zana Masnic from last season's squad. Masnic exhausted her eligibility in the spring of 2006 and left the program with over 50 career singles victories and 40 doubles wins.
Head Coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski
Head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski is entering his 18th season leading the Cowgirl tennis program. His 18-year tenure is the longest in the program's history and is currently third among active coaches at Oklahoma State, trailing only men's tennis coach James Wadley and men's track and field coach Dick Weis.
Lubicz-Majewski has a career record of 241-161 (.600), with all of his school-record 241 wins coming at OSU. He also led the Cowgirls to four conference titles.
New Assistance
Lubicz-Majewski will have a new assistant coach this season in former Cowboy tennis star Mark Van Elden. Van Elden replaces Dominika Olszewska, who assisted Lubicz-Majewski for three seasons.
Van Elden played at Oklahoma State from 2003-05 under Cowboy head coach James Wadley and was an All-Big 12 selection and NCAA invitee in each of his three seasons in Stillwater.
Van Elden won 59 matches during his Cowboy career and was ranked as high as 13th in the ITA rankings. The Cowboys won 55 matches during his stay in Stillwater and hosted an NCAA Regional in 2005.
Successful in the Classroom
Over the summer, the Cowgirl tennis program was recognized by the ITA for its hard work in the classroom during the 2005-06 school year. The team was named an Academic All-American team for the fourth straight season and Zana Masnic, Lauren Simmons and Zuzanna Osinska were each named Academic All-Americans.
ITA Women's Hall of Fame
Former Cowgirl star Lori McNeil was inducted into the ITA Women's Hall of Fame Sept. 15 in Williamsburg, Va.
McNeil was an All-American in 1982 and was a three-time conference champion while a part of the Cowgirl program. McNeil went on to a successful 19-year pro career that featured 10 singles championships and 32 doubles titles. She also made a memorable run to the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1994 and was an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team in 2004.
The individual tournament will feature a qualifying and main draw as well as a main draw for doubles action.
Senior Lauren Simmons, junior Iryna Tkachenko and freshman Natalia Shatkovskaya will all participate in the main draw of the tournament.
Seniors Jennifer Poskitt and Marta Tsivka, juniors Yawna Allen and Jessica Collins and sophomore Zuzanna Osinska will try to make their way through the qualifying bracket.
In doubles play, the Cowgirls will shake up their lineup. Allen and Shatkovskaya will stay together after a strong performance at the Aggie Invitational in September. The new teams will consist of Simmons and Tkachenko, Tsivka and Osinska and Poskitt and Collins.
The tournament is scheduled to start Wednesday with qualifying rounds. The main draw kicking off on Thursday.
Two Champions Crowned at Aggie Invitational
The Cowgirl tennis team crowned two champions at last month's Aggie Invitational in Las Cruces, N.M. The most impressive tournament performance came from Shatkovskaya in her debut as a Cowgirl. The freshman rolled in all three wins and won her flight. Collins also had a solid weekend as she also won her flight. Simmons, Tkachenko and Osinska also left Las Cruces with winning records but failed to win their flights.
Cowgirl Returners
The Cowgirl lineup features a wealth of experience as head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski's squad features seven returning letter winners. Junior Iryna Tkachenko, the Cowgirl's No. 1 player a year ago, will look to regain the form that made her an All-Big 12 selection her freshman season.
Senior Lauren Simmons, who split time between No. 2 and No. 3 singles last season, also returns to the Cowgirls. Simmons was an Academic All-American last season, as well as a Big 12 Player of the Week selection.
The Cowgirls also return another former Big 12 Player of the Week in Yawna Allen. The junior spent most of the 2006 spring season at the No. 4 spot.
Also returning are senior Jennifer Poskitt, junior Jessica Collins and sophomore Zuzanna Osinska. The trio all split time at No. 6 singles last season, with Poskitt leading the way with a 7-4 record.
Marta Tsivka, the Big 12 Champion at No. 5 singles last season, also returns this season but will not travel to the Aggie Invitational.
Newcomers
The only scholarship newcomer this season is freshman Natalia Shatkouskaya. The talented newcomer hails from Minsk, Belarus. The Cowgirls only had one scholarship available after losing only Zana Masnic from last season's squad. Masnic exhausted her eligibility in the spring of 2006 and left the program with over 50 career singles victories and 40 doubles wins.
Head Coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski
Head coach Julius Lubicz-Majewski is entering his 18th season leading the Cowgirl tennis program. His 18-year tenure is the longest in the program's history and is currently third among active coaches at Oklahoma State, trailing only men's tennis coach James Wadley and men's track and field coach Dick Weis.
Lubicz-Majewski has a career record of 241-161 (.600), with all of his school-record 241 wins coming at OSU. He also led the Cowgirls to four conference titles.
New Assistance
Lubicz-Majewski will have a new assistant coach this season in former Cowboy tennis star Mark Van Elden. Van Elden replaces Dominika Olszewska, who assisted Lubicz-Majewski for three seasons.
Van Elden played at Oklahoma State from 2003-05 under Cowboy head coach James Wadley and was an All-Big 12 selection and NCAA invitee in each of his three seasons in Stillwater.
Van Elden won 59 matches during his Cowboy career and was ranked as high as 13th in the ITA rankings. The Cowboys won 55 matches during his stay in Stillwater and hosted an NCAA Regional in 2005.
Successful in the Classroom
Over the summer, the Cowgirl tennis program was recognized by the ITA for its hard work in the classroom during the 2005-06 school year. The team was named an Academic All-American team for the fourth straight season and Zana Masnic, Lauren Simmons and Zuzanna Osinska were each named Academic All-Americans.
ITA Women's Hall of Fame
Former Cowgirl star Lori McNeil was inducted into the ITA Women's Hall of Fame Sept. 15 in Williamsburg, Va.
McNeil was an All-American in 1982 and was a three-time conference champion while a part of the Cowgirl program. McNeil went on to a successful 19-year pro career that featured 10 singles championships and 32 doubles titles. She also made a memorable run to the semifinals of Wimbledon in 1994 and was an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team in 2004.
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