Weatherholt, Jacobson Nab Top Big Ten Honors

Park Ridge, Ill. - Two Nebraska women's tennis athletes and Head Coach Scott Jacobson took home conference accolades at the conference tournament banquet on Thursday night. Redshirt junior Mary Weatherholt was named Big Ten Women's Tennis Athlete of the Year and was a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection. Junior Patricia Veresova received Second-Team All-Big Ten honors, and Head Coach Scott Jacobson was awarded Big Ten Co-Coach of the Year alongside Michigan's Ronni Bernstein.

Weatherholt picked up NU's first Big Ten women's tennis Athlete of the Year honors after compiling an outstanding 10-1 Big Ten singles record out of the No. 1 position and a 9-1 conference mark in doubles. Weatherholt was also a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection. The native of Prairie Village, Kan. was ranked as high as 45th nationally in singles this season and has already set the Nebraska program record this season for individual season combined wins (53). Her 29 singles wins this season are currently third all-time at Nebraska, and her career singles win mark of 92 is second all-time. Weatherholt also took home one of 12 Big Ten Sportsmanship awards.

Veresova picked up her second all-conference accolade in two seasons with her Second Team All-Big Ten honors. The native of Piestany, Slovakia has played primarily out of the No. 2 singles position for NU this spring, racking up 26 singles wins and a 7-4 mark in Big Ten play. Veresova also partnered with Weatherholt on the doubles courts to produce a 9-1 conference record and an overall record of 21-5.

Head Coach Scott Jacobson collected his second conference Coach of the Year honor in the last three seasons and his third award of his career. Jacobson was given the honor after leading the Huskers to a 23-3 record overall this season, including a 9-2 mark in conference play. The team's 23 wins so far this season is a new program record. Jacobson was a two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year pick (2005, 2010) before NU joined the Big Ten this season.

The Huskers are seeded fourth overall in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend and will face fifth-seeded Purdue tomorrow morning in Columbus, Ohio. The match is slated for a 9 a.m. (CT) start.

WOMEN'S TENNIS ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS

First Team All-Big Ten
Allison Falkin, Illinois
Melissa Kopinski, Illinois
Leslie Hureau, Indiana
SONJA MOLNAR, Iowa
EMINA BEKTAS, Michigan
BROOKE BOLENDER, Michigan
Natallia Pintusava, Minnesota
MARY WEATHERHOLT, Nebraska
Belinda Niu, Northwestern
KATE TURVY, Northwestern
PETRA JANUSKOVA, Penn State
Jennifer Rabot, Purdue

Second Team All-Big Ten
Marisa Lambropoulus, Illinois
Sarah Lee, Michigan
Patricia Veresova, Nebraska
Brittany Wowchuck, Northwestern
Chelsea Utting, Penn State
Alaina Trgovich, Wisconsin

Unanimous selections in CAPS

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

Athlete of the Year: Mary Weatherholt, Nebraska
Freshman of the Year: EMINA BEKTAS, Michigan
Co-Coach of the Year: Ronni Bernstein, Michigan
Co-Coach of the Year: Scott Jacobson, Nebraska

Unanimous selections in CAPS

SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES

Melissa Kopinski, Illinois
Sophie Garre, Indiana
Cassandra Escobar, Iowa
Mimi Nguyen, Michigan
Dana Guentert, Michigan State
Alexa Palen, Minnesota
Mary Weatherholt, Nebraska
Veronica Corning, Northwestern
Tiffany Dittmer, Ohio State
Nina Sertic, Penn State
Lynda Xepoleas, Purdue
Nicky Stracar, Wisconsin