Wednesday, 03/30/2011

  Rock Hill, S.C.----Wingate University sophomore Kelli Ferguson (Concord, N.C.) has been named the South Atlantic Conference women’s tennis Player of the Week, league officials announced Tuesday afternoon. She is the fourth different Bulldog to earn the award this season.

 

            Ferguson helped lead Wingate to its 13th straight win, as the 39th-ranked Bulldogs improved to 6-0 in the SAC with a 7-2 win over Mars Hill. Ferguson teamed with senior Kara Stasikelis (Greer, S.C.) for a 9-7 win over Mars Hill’s Erika Pinate and Anna Rickenbaker at number one doubles. Ferguson added a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Mars Hill’s Jacqueline Rouquet at No. 5 singles.

 

            Ferguson is 13-3 in singles action this season. She is 10-2 as the number five singles player, while holding a 3-1 record in number six singles. She has won eight consecutive matches on the season. Ferguson is 11-5 in doubles play on the year, with all 16 matches coming in number one doubles.

 

            The Bulldogs are back in action Thursday, hosting Erskine College at 3 p.m. Wingate returns to SAC play this weekend, traveling to Newberry College Saturday for a 1 p.m. start.

 

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

 

            Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private comprehensive university with more than 2,300 students on two campuses in Wingate and Matthews, North Carolina. The university offers 32 undergraduate majors, 36 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.

 

            Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.

 

            Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past four years.

 

            Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 38 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 47 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.

 

            (Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton wrote this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)