Delicata and Exon Selected to All-Big Ten Team
4/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Juniors Kara Delicata (LaSalle, Ontario/Sandwich Secondary School) and Elizabeth Exon (Irvine, Calif./Woodbridge HS) of the University of Michigan women's tennis team were named to the All-Big Ten Conference team, the league office announced Thursday (April 27). It marks just the second time in seven years that the Wolverines have placed two members on the All-Big Ten team in one season.
Delicata put together yet another fine season on the doubles court, teaming with senior Debra Streifler (Highland Park, Ill./Highland Park HS) for a team-best 13-2 dual match record at No. 1. The pair proved that it was the team to beat in the Big Ten this year, finishing the regular season with an undefeated record of 10-0 against conference opposition. Delicata and Streifler, who also went unbeaten against Midwest Regional opponents (11-0), have won 13 of their last 14 matches dating back to March 3. The duo is ranked No. 30 in the Fila Collegiate Tennis Rankings.
Exon was one of the most dependable singles players for the Wolverines in the latter stages of the regular season, finishing with 11 victories in her final 14 matches. She holds an overall singles record of 17-13, including a dual match mark of 13-6 at Nos. 2-4. Exon has been nearly flawless since moving up to the No. 2 position, winning seven of eight matches. She is 8-2 in conference action and carries a five-match winning streak into the postseason.
It marks the first career All-Big Ten nomination for Delicata, while Exon is carrying the honor for the second time in her career. Exon was named to the all-conference team in 2004 after posting a 27-12 singles record during her freshman campaign.
Streifler received her team's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for 2006. The 11 student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. In addition, the student-athletes must be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. These student-athletes are now candidates for the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award, as the conference office will honor one male and one female student-athlete from each institution at the end of the school year.
In addition to her doubles success with Delicata, Streifler has compiled a season-best 22-8 overall singles record in her final year at Michigan. She holds a team-best 16-4 dual match record at Nos. 2-5 and a Big Ten mark of 8-2. Streifler is entering the final stages of her career on a high note, as she has been victorious in 15 of her last 17 matches.
The 31st-ranked Wolverines enter this weekend's 2006 Big Ten Championship as the No. 3 seed and will face the winner of No. 6 seed Michigan State and No. 11 seed Wisconsin in the quarterfinals on Friday (April 28, 2 p.m. CDT). The team tournament will be played April 27-30 at the University of Illinois' Atkins Tennis Center in Champaign, Ill. Michigan's match on Friday will be contested at the Illini Grove Tennis Courts.
Following are the 2006 All-Big Ten Conference awards:
| ALL-BIG TEN TEAM Macall Harkins, Illinois Sarah Batty, Indiana Meg Racette, Iowa Kara Delicata, Michigan Elizabeth Exon, Michigan Christine Bader, Michigan State Nischela Reddy, Minnesota Cristelle Grier, Northwestern Georgia Rose, Northwestern Alexis Prousis, Northwestern Randi Schuler, Purdue Caitlin Burke, Wisconsin | Freshman of the Year Georgia Rose, Northwestern Athlete of the Year Cristelle Grier, Northwestern Coach of the Year Daryl Greenan, Iowa |
Contact: Marc Ressler (734) 763-4423
