OU Women's Tennis Receives ITA Sportsmanship Honor

April 11, 2003

NORMAN, Okla. - The 29th-ranked Oklahoma women's team was honored today by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as this month's recipient of the ITA National Team Sportsmanship Award. The Sooners are the first women's team to receive the honor which is awarded once a month to one men's and one women's team that exemplifies outstanding sportsmanship, character and ethical conduct in the true spirit of competition and college tennis.

"This is a very special honor for our team and I am very proud of the way our players represent the University of Oklahoma on and off the court," said OU Head Coach Mark Johnson. "We talk often about competing the right way and it is really nice to hear that someone thinks our team is getting this done. Good sportsmanship is so important to our sport and I think it is great that the ITA has decided to recognize it with this award."

The Sooners were nominated by Texas A&M's Bobby Kleinecke, who had this to say about the Oklahoma program after a close match against OU in Big 12 play this season: "I have the utmost respect for Mark Johnson and his teams. I have seen them win and seen them lose and they show nothing but class in both cases. The character that is displayed by his teams year in and year out are second to none. They battle 'til the end, leave everything out on the court and are true sports in all aspects."

Said Coach Johnson, "Our players wanted me to express our gratitude to Texas A&M for nomninating them. Texas A&M runs a first class program in every aspect and we always enjoy competing against them."

The winners are selected by the ITA Ethics and Infractions Committee from nominations received from all ITA member institutions including NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community Colleges.

The Sooner women (16-3, 5-2 Big 12) continue their season Saturday against the Texas Tech Lady Raiders (2-11, 2-7 Big 12). Match time is set for 10 a.m. at the OU Headington Family Tennis Center.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

OU Women's Tennis Receives ITA Sportsmanship Honor

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