FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
S-30-04-05
Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Three Elizabethtown College Women's Tennis Players Named to All-Conference Teams; Matt Helsel Named Coach of the Year

ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Three Elizabethtown College women's tennis players have been named to the 2004 All-Commonwealth Conference teams, released today. Sophomore Stacy Shapiro (Audubon, PA/Methacton) earned a spot on the All-Commonwealth First Team, while senior Mel Parenteau (Marydel, MD/North Caroline) and first-year Emma Smith (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) both earned spots on the All-Commonwealth Conference Second Team. Additionally, Etown head coach Matt Helsel has been named the Commonwealth Conference Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.

Shapiro, who has played number one singles and number one doubles for the Blue Jays this year, has gone 13-2 in singles and 9-6 in doubles thus far this season for a 22-8 overall record. She was the conference's Rookie of the Year as well as a first team all-conference player in 2003 as a first-year, and over the course of her career, she has compiled a 20-9 mark in singles, a 14-14 mark in doubles, and a 34-23 record overall. She was the conference's Player of the Week one time in 2004.

Parenteau, who was also just named the conference's Player of the Week for the week ending October 10, has made the all-conference second team for the second year in a row, having earned the honor as well in 2003. In 2004, she played number two doubles and split time between number three and number two singles. Thus far this season, Parenteau is 12-4 in singles matches and 12-3 in doubles matches for a 24-7 overall record. Over the course of her career, she has gone 37-15 in singles matches and a 36-21 mark in doubles matches for a 73-36 overall record. Parenteau is one singles win away from tying the modern Etown record for most singles victories in a career with 38.

Smith has made a strong impact on the Blue Jays in her rookie campaign in 2004, splitting time between number two and number three singles and playing number two and number three doubles for Etown. In singles, she has gone 10-6, and she has posted a 13-2 record in doubles for an overall mark of 23-8. Smith was also named the conference's Player of the Week one time in 2004.

The Elizabethtown College women's tennis team is currently 13-0 overall, having most recently won the Commonwealth Conference championship, its first conference title since 1995 and its third ever, with a 5-4 win over Moravian College Saturday. The Blue Jays, whose 13-0 record is their best ever, will play their final dual match of the Fall 2004 season at home Thursday, October 14 in a non-conference contest against Immaculata College at 3:30 p.m. After that, the Blue Jays will play in their final event of the Fall when they compete as individuals at the Middle Atlantic Conferences' individual singles and doubles championships, to be held at Lehigh University and to be hosted jointly by Moravian College and DeSales University, Saturday and Sunday, October 16 and 17.