For the first time in the program's history, the women's tennis team will host an NCAA regional event May 12-13.

The Lady Monarchs will host 12th-seeded Southern California, University of Maryland-Baltimore County and South Alabama at the tennis complex.

On Saturday, May 12, the match-ups will feature Old Dominion vs. South Alabama (20-5) at 10 a.m. and Southern California (17-7) vs. UMBC (15-6) at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12. The winners will meet at noon Sunday, May 13.

The Lady Monarchs, No. 37 in the latest ITA WingspanBank.com tennis rankings, are 21-1. The team earned an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament by winning the Colonial Athletic Association championship and is led by two nationally ranked players, freshman Nataly Cahana (No. 5) of Qiriat Bialik, Israel, and Ana Radeljevic (No. 97), a junior from Zagreb, Croatia.

In addition to the Lady Monarch team entry, Old Dominion will be represented in the 64-player singles field by both Cahana and Radeljevic. The doubles tandem will also participate in the 32-team doubles draw.

Top athletes are honored at annual sports banquet

At the recent Athletic Honors Banquet, field hockey senior Marina DiGiacomo (Mendoza, Argentina ) and junior wrestler Jeff Rusak (Reading, Pa.) were named Athletes of the Year by the Alumni Association, while tennis standout Mily Kannarkat (Virginia Beach) and golfer Gary Harper (Sidmouth, Devon, England) were announced as the 2001 Jack Wilkins/James Howard Scholar Athletes of the Year.

DiGiacomo completed her illustrious career as Old Dominion's most decorated field hockey player. She is a four-time CAA Player of the Year, a four-time CAA Tournament MVP, a two-time Dita/NFHCA All-American and Old Dominion's fifth Honda Award winner as the nation's top player in her sport.

She led the nation in scoring her senior year with 63 goals, 25 assists and 151 points, and completed her career as the NCAA's all-time scorer with 414 points and 167 goals. DiGiacomo also recently received the Tom Scott Award at the Norfolk Sports Club as the top athlete at the university.

Jeff Rusak compiled a 33-5 record in 2000-01 and captured the CAA Championship at 174 pounds. He picked up his 100th career victory at the NCAA National Championships where he was 2-2. Rusak has a three-year streak of perfection in dual matches, going 12-0 this year and upping his record to 35-0 in three seasons.

Mily Kannarkat was 20-1 this year in singles and undefeated in the CAA. She posted a 3.97 GPA in biology/pre-med. She will be in action again this weekend on the home courts when Old Dominion hosts an NCAA regional tournament.