April 23, 2004

DRAKE LONE NIU WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER TO EARN POSTSEASON ACCLAIM, EARNS
SECOND TEAM ALL-MAC NOD
ROCKFORD, IL---Just one year removed from earning the
Mid-American Conference Newcomer of the Year award, Northern Illinois
University women's tennis player Cassie Drake (Stilwell, KS / Shawnee
Mission South) continued her string of MAC postseason acclaim by earning a spot on the league's All-MAC Second Team as announced by league commissioner Rick Chryst Friday (Apr. 23).

The Huskie junior is the only NIU netter to gain a spot on the
loop's annual postseason awards list, joining a strong contingency from
the MAC's top two teams in 2004---Marshall University and Western
Michigan University. Besides finishing one-two in the final regular
season standings, the two institutions also took home two of the
league's specialty awards and five of the 12 All-MAC spots.

"If you look at the MAC and the quality of the league this year,
you can see why we are very happy to land someone on one of those two
All-MAC teams," NIU head coach Laura Scott explained. "There were some excellent seniors and great newcomers in the MAC this year. The 12 players who are on that list are about as good as they come."

Drake is joined on the Second Team by Melissa Roach of Ball
State, Ying Kansuthi of Eastern Michigan, Ashley Kroh of Marshall, Megan Zimpfer of Miami (OH), and Belvidere native Carrie Jeanmaire of Western Michigan. The First Team is comprised of Irina Strembitsky of Akron, Miglena Nenova of Buffalo, Player of the Year Victoria Domina of Eastern Michigan, Jessica Johnson and Alice Sukner of Marshall, and Frederika Ginsang of Western Michigan---who also won the Leann Grimes
Sportsmanship Award.

Individually, Drake posted her first career 20-win season in
single play, racking up a 23-8 overall record. The Stilwell, KS, native
was an impressive 12-3 in tournament play and 7-2 in MAC duals. While
occupying the No. 2 spot in the Huskie order for a majority of the
season, Drake went 10-3 overall.

Success started piling up for Drake early in the season as she
opened the year with 11 straight victories including four in a row at
the St. Louis Billiken Classic that resulted in a Flight A championship.
At the Ball State Invite a couple of weeks later, the results were
exactly the same as Drake posted four more wins without a loss to take
home the Flight B title in Muncie, IN. She also closed the regular
season by winning 10 of her last 12.

"Cassie played very well for us all year," Scott added. "But
she really turned it on over the last two weeks of the year when we
needed it most. She really had a great year and deserves to be on that
list."

Doubles play proved to be just as fruitful for the University of
Missouri transfer as she compiled 17 tandem victories to supplement her
impressive solo slate. 10 of those triumphs came in dual play with
regular partner Karrie Tyioran (Oswego) in the No. 2 spot. The pair
also earned five victories in tournament play.

--Copy by Brian Kedzior

2004 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE POSTSEASON AWARDS

First Team All-MAC
Name School Cl. Hometown
Irina Strembitsky Akron Sr. Solon, OH
Miglena Nenova Buffalo Fr. Rousse, Bulgaria
Victoria Domina Eastern Michigan Jr.Olavarri, Argentina
Jessica Johnson Marshall Sr.Sewickley, PA
Alice Sukner Marshall Sr. Pittsburgh, PA
Frederika Girsang Western Michigan Sr. Jakarta, Indonesia

Second Team All-MAC
Name School Cl. Hometown
Melissa Roach Ball State Sr. Hull, England
Ying Kansuthi Eastern Michigan So. Muang Chonburi, Thailand
Ashley Kroh Marshall Jr. Louisville, KY
Megan Zimpfer Miami Sr. Centerville, OH
Cassie Drake Northern Illinois Jr. Stillwell, KS
Carrie Jeanmaire Western Michigan Fr. Belvidere, IL

Player of the Year: Victoria Domina, Eastern Michigan
Newcomer of the Year: Miglena Nenova, Buffalo
Leann Grimes Sportsmanship Award: Frederika Girsang, Western Michigan
Coach of the Year: (tie) John Mercer, Marshall and Betsy Kuhle, Western Michigan