Seven Bulldogs Earn All-Horizon League Honors

April 22, 2006

Butler's Brandon Gill, James Low, Andy Bartish, Parker Ross, Tayo Bailey, Alaina Griffin and Michelle Hawes earned All-Horizon League honors, the league announced at its annual postseason banquet Friday (April 21) in Indianapolis. Gill, Low and Bailey earned first-team recognition, while Bartish, Ross, Griffin and Hawes appeared on the second team. Butler head coach Jason Suscha earned Coach of the Year honors on the men's side for the fifth straight season.

Gill returns to the All-Horizon League first team after missing the 2005 season due to injury. He earned the distinction in both 2003 and 2004. Gill has a singles record of 15-15 this season, mainly as the team's No. 1 seed. He sports a 23-10 doubles record. Low earned first-team accolades a season ago and second-team honors in 2004. As the team's No. 2 player, Low is 19-13 in singles and 19-10 in doubles so far this season. He went undefeated in Horizon League play in both singles and doubles.

Bartish boasts a 20-8 doubles mark, along with a 14-12 record in singles. The team's No. 4 seed earned first-team All-League distinction a season ago. Ross landed a spot on the second-team a season ago, his first at Butler after transferring in from Iowa. Ross is tied with Low and junior Evan West for the team-lead with 19 singles wins. Ross is also 20-13 in doubles. Both Bartish and Ross went undefeated in Horizon League singles action.

Bailey lands on the first-team for the third straight season. She has a team-leading 14 singles wins this season. After three years on the first team, Griffin received second-team honors in 2006. The senior missed part of the spring season due to injury, but still held down the No. 1 spot for Butler. Hawes earns second-team accolades for the second time in her two seasons at Butler.

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay sophomore Tim Prudlow and University of Detroit Mercy freshman Annie Moore were named Horizon League Tennis Athletes of the Year.

Butler men's and women's tennis teams are preparing for the 2006 Horizon League Championships. The two-day tournament is set for Saturday and Sunday (April 22 and 23) at the North Central High School courts in Indianapolis. Butler's men's team has won four straight championship titles and seven of the last eight crowns. Butler's women's team has appeared in the championship match in six of the past seven seasons.

The men enter the championships as the top seed after a 5-0 mark in Horizon League regular season matches. As the top seed, Butler receives a first-round bye in the six-team men's bracket. The Bulldogs will face the winner of the match-up between fourth-seeded Cleveland State and fifth-seeded Wright State Saturday. Those two teams square off at 11 a.m. Saturday and Butler's match time will be determined when that match is finished.

Behind a 5-2 conference mark, Butler's women's team is the third seed in this year's championships. Butler opens with a quarterfinal match-up against Detroit. The Bulldogs and sixth-seeded Titans will meet Saturday at 9 a.m. Butler defeated Detroit, 6-1, March 31 in Indianapolis. UIC is the top seed, while Youngstown State enters the championships as the No. 2 seed.

The Horizon League championship matches for both men and women are set for 10:15 a.m. Sunday. North Central High School is located on 86th St., between Keystone Ave. and Westfield Ave. in Indianapolis.

Men's Tennis First Team All-Horizon League
Tim Prudlow, UW-Green Bay
James Low, Butler
Brandon Gill, Butler
Lance Koetter, Wright State
Ivan Kovalev, UIC
Olivier Dhaine, Cleveland State

Men's Tennis Second Team All-Horizon League
Andy Bartish, Butler
Scott Kathary, Youngstown State
Nicolas Camilleri, Wright State
Paul Glendenning, UIC
Parker Ross, Butler
Jay Tee, Cleveland State
Mark Goldin, UW-Green Bay

Men's Tennis Athlete of the Year
Tim Prudlow, UW-Green Bay

Men's Tennis Newcomer of the Year
Nicolas Camilleri, Wright State

Coach of the Year
Jason Suscha, Butler

Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award
Brad Groleski, Cleveland State

Women's Tennis First Team All-Horizon League
Annie Moore, Detroit
Tayo Bailey, Butler
Callan Smith, UIC
Iris Jaklin, UIC
Tiffani Foster, Wright State
Sarah Galon, Cleveland State

Women's Tennis Second Team All-Horizon League
Alaina Griffin, Butler
Jessica Lee, Wright State
Gina Peretti, Youngstown State
Molly Smith, UIC
Megan Ungerott, Cleveland State
Michelle Hawes, Butler

Women's Tennis Athlete of the Year
Annie Moore, Detroit

Women's Tennis Newcomer of the Year
Annie Moore, Detroit

Coach of the Year
Shannon Tully, UIC

Herb Foster Sportsmanship Award
Sarah Galon, Cleveland State