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May 7, 2002

PULLMAN, Wash. - Washington State Tennis Coach Cari Groce was named the Pacific-10 Women's Coach of the Year and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Coach of the Year for the Northwest Region.

The conference honor comes via a vote by Pac-10 coaches. Groce, currently in her 11h year at WSU, led the Cougars to an 11-10 record this season and an invitation to the Division I NCAA Women's Tennis Championships. The NCAA bid is the fourth in the last five years for the Cougars.

"I'm very pleased," said Groce. "It says a lot about our team and I'm glad I had an opportunity to coach these players.

"This conference is the best in the nation, and I have so much respect for the people I coach with. For them to honor me makes me feel great."

The National Award Committee selected the ITA Coach of the Year Award. Groce is up for selection as the National Coach of the Year Award, which will be named at the NCAA Tournament Banquet in Stanford, Calif., May 25.

In addition to Groce being honored, two Washington State players were selected to the Pac-10 All-Conference Team. Senior Erica Perkins (Seattle) was named to the Pacific-10 All-Conference Second Team, while Stacy McKenna (North Bend, Ore.) was named Honorable Mention.

Perkins, who holds the school record with 87 singles victories, will make her third appearance in the NCAA Individual Championships May 16-25 at Stanford. As a doubles team, Perkins and McKenna set a school record with 24 wins this season and earned a bid to the NCAA Individual Doubles Championships, also May 16-25 at Stanford.

"I'm really pleased Erica and Stacy were selected," Groce said. "They were strong for us this year and they competed with some of the top competition in the country. I'm extremely proud of them."