Peach Belt Releases Men’s Tennis All-Conference Team

MORROW, GA -- The Peach Belt Conference announced the 2009 men’s tennis All-Conference team at a banquet on the campus of Clayton State University, host of the 2009 tournament. Armstrong Atlantic State’s Eudaldo Bonet was named both the PBC Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. GCSU’s Steve Barsby was named Coach of the Year.

The all-conference team was expanded this year and with double the number of award winners split into a first and second team. In all, 24 men’s tennis players were honored.

Bonet becomes only the second men’s tennis player to capture both the Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, joining North Florida’s Eduardo Pereira who received both in 2005. Bonet is ranked #2 in the nation after going 18-3 in dual match play this year, all at #1 singles. The native of Barcelona, Spain, won the ITA Division II National Singles title last fall and has beaten six top-10 players this spring. He becomes the third straight Pirate to win the Freshman of the Year honor but the first to win Player of the Year since Blaise Tribolet in 2001.

Barsby earns his second PBC Coach of the Year award after leading Georgia College & State University to their first PBC regular season championship in 2009. Now in his ninth season at GCSU, Barsby led the Bobcats to an undefeated 7-0 conference record, 14-2 overall and a #6 national ranking. GCSU was ranked as high as #4 this season after beating Armstrong Atlantic State, then ranked #1.

The 2009 All-Conference team is listed below. The team was selected by the league’s head coaches who were not permitted to vote for their own players.

2009 Peach Belt Conference
Men’s Tennis All-Conference Team

First Team

Singles
Eudaldo Bonet, Armstrong Atlantic State
Justin Pickham, GCSU
Bruno Seves, USC Aiken
Erick Siqueira, GCSU
Frank Suarez, Columbus State
Oshada Wijemanne, Francis Marion

Doubles Teams
Paul Bishop & Mikk Irdoja, Armstrong Atlantic State
Justin Pickham & Erick Siqueira, GCSU
Dilshod Sharifi & Oshada Wijemanne, Francis Marion

Second Team

Singles
Paul Bishop, Armstrong Atlantic State
Damien Cordesse, Lander
Dagoberto Darezzo, USC Aiken
Mikk Irdoja, Armstrong Atlantic State
Dilshod Sharifi, Francis Marion
Francis Yoshimoto, GCSU

Doubles Teams
Rafael Array & Tim Johannsen, Armstrong Atlantic State
Dagoberto Darezzo & Edward Horne, USC Aiken
Luis Gonzalez & Frank Suarez, Columbus State

Player of the Year
Eudaldo Bonet, Amstrong Atlantic State

Freshman of the Year
Eudaldo Bonet, Armstrong Atlantic State

Coach of the Year:
Steve Barsby, GCSU