Air Force Academy

April 28, 2004

Air Force women's tennis player Laura Nigro earned the Mountain West Conference Sportsmanship Award Wednesday night at the MWC Men's and Women's Tennis Championships banquet in San Diego, Calif. The 2004 MWC Tennis Championships begin on Thursday in San Diego.

Nigro, a senior from Lincoln, Neb., earned her second straight Sportsmanship Award for her on and off the court contributions as a member of the Air Force women's tennis squad. On the court, she compiled a record of 21-12 overall in singles competition and teamed with Gina Black to go 19-10 overall (14-6 dual) this season, including two wins over top-30 opponents.

Off the court, Nigro has kept herself busy. In her four years as a cadet she has completed Basic Training, Combat Survival Training and an internship at Offutt Air Force Base for Operation Air Force. She also participates in the Adopt a School Program - reading to elementary school kids, Kid Force Clinics, Girl Scout Clinics and USTA Clinics. Nigro has also served as a Flight Clerk, Element Clerk, Global Engagement Leader, a Non-Commissioned Officer for Standardization/Evaluation, an Instructor for Survival Training and an Athletic Officer for her squadron.

In addition to the Sportsmanship Award, Nigro was named to the All-MWC singles team for the second straight year. She and Black were also selected to the All-MWC doubles team.

Air Force enters the conference tournament as the eighth seed and will face top-seed New Mexico in the first round on Thursday, April 29 at 2 p.m.

2004 Mountain West Conference Women's Tennis All-Conference Team

Singles

Name -- Class -- Institution
* Laura Nigro -- Sr. -- Air Force
Sofia Holden -- Fr. -- BYU
Lauren Jones -- Fr. -- BYU
Barbora Zahnova -- Sr. -- BYU
Emily Kirchem -- Fr. -- Colorado State
Iva Gersic -- Fr. -- New Mexico
Michelle Heidbrink -- Jr. -- New Mexico
*Maja Kovacek -- So. -- New Mexico
Dita Hauerlandova -- So. -- San Diego State
*Katalina Romero -- Sr. -- San Diego State
Anne Claire Ortiz-Luis -- Jr. -- UNLV
#Gyorgyi Zsiros -- Jr. -- UNLV

Doubles

Names -- Institution
Laura Nigro / Gina Black -- Air Force
Barbora Zahnova/Sofia Holden -- BYU
Iva Gersic/Maria Ruiz-Fabrega -- New Mexico
Sandy Lukowski/Maja Kovacek -- New Mexico
Katalina Romero/Indra Erichsen -- San Diego State
Gyorgyi Zsiros/Claire Smith -- UNLV

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Maja Kovacek, So., New Mexico

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
Laura Nigro, Sr., Air Force

*Two-time All-MWC performers
#Three-time All-MWC performers