Three Patriot Women named ITA All-Americans

Three Francis Marion University women's tennis players were recently named to the 2009 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) NCAA Division II All-America Team.

Junior Tereza Sykorova was named to the All-America team for her singles play-for the second consecutive year - while sophomores Kristyna Horakova and Jitka Gavdunova earned All-America recognition for their doubles play.

Sykorova, a native of Prague, Czech Republic, was 17-6 at the women's No. 1 singles position and ended the year ranked 13th in Division II.

Horakova, a native of Roznov Pod Radhostem, Czech Republic, and Gavdunova, a native of Vejprty, Czech Republic, combined to post a 20-2 doubles record, including a 10-0 mark in PBC play. They are ranked third nationally, with both losses coming at the hands of the two doubles teams ranked ahead of them.  They did compile four wins over nationally ranked opponents, including two Top-5 wins.

The FMU women ended the year with a 20-5 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament round of Sweet 16 for the second straight year.

Horakova and Gavdunova become the seventh and eighth All-Americans in the history of the Patriot women's program, joining Sykorova (2008, 2009), Siobhan Murnane (1992), Mary Hirst (1992, 1993, 1994), Lee Whitwell (1993, 1994, 1996), Orsolya Somorjai (1998, 1999), and Annamaria Atamaniuk (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001).  

     Tereza Sykorova                  Kristyna Horakova                   Jitka Gavdunova