April 6, 2011

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Samford's Taylor Morgan was named the Southern Conference's Women's Tennis Player of the Week Wednesday after the Bulldogs' senior netter turned in a perfect record in both singles and doubles play last week. The honor, which was awarded by the SoCon league office, was Morgan's second of the season.

Samford's senior was also named the SoCon Player of the Week on March 15.

On Wednesday, Morgan was named the SoCon Women's Tennis Player of the Week for all matches played March 28-April 3. She went a combined 8-0 in both singles and doubles competition as the Bulldogs went 3-1 as a team last week. The Player of the Week selections were made by the conference office.

Morgan began the week with two wins on March 31. She opened the day with a 6-2, 6-1 triumph over Columbus State's Tracy Castillo, 6-2, 6-1. She then held off Abilene Christian's Juilia Mongin, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Both opponents were ranked in the top 20 nationally at the Division II level.

Later in the week, Morgan came away with a pair of wins against SoCon opponents as she topped College of Charleston's Christin Newman (6-4, 6-0) and Georgia Southern's Paola Garrido (1-6, 7-6, 10-4).

Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., Morgan teamed with Lindsey Mallory at No. 1 doubles as the Samford pair went 4-0 last week to move to 13-5 on the year. Morgan and Mallory defeated College of Charleston's tandem of Emma Hayman and Irene Viana (9-8) and Georgia Southern's Ali Beavers and Caitlin Kitchen (8-4) in league play last week.

Together, Samford's pairing of Morgan and Mallory has won nine of their last 11 matches for the Bulldogs.

Other top performers in the SoCon included College of Charleston's Emma Hayman, Elon's Bryn Khoury, Furman's Monica Arguello, UNC Greensboro's Lucy Dougherty, Western Carolina's Carolina Lainez and Wofford's Sarah Evans.

2011 SoCon Women's Tennis Player of the Week

Feb. 15 - Monica Arguello, Furman
Feb. 22 - Madelie Janse Van Rensburg, Samford
March 1 - Nitooli Wilkins, UNC Greensboro
March 9 - Shaina Singh, Chattanooga
March 15 - Taylor Morgan, Samford
March 22 - Nitooli Wilkins, UNC Greensboro
March 29 - Monica Arguello, Furman
April 6 - Taylor Morgan, Samford