Nov. 20, 2002

The Siena College Women's Tennis Team announced that junior Betsy Brookins was named Tennis' Outstanding Fall Performer today. Brookins completed the fall season with a 4-2 record at the #4 singles. The Delmar, NY resident, a biology major who carries a 3.71 GPA, was also recently accepted early decision, to SUNY Upstate Medical University as a member of the Class of 2008.

Though she began the season in the hospital with a severe ear infection, the Bethlehem High School graduate, quickly made her presence known as her return to the starting lineup triggered the beginning of a 5 match win streak. During that run, Brookins had her own 4 match win skein at #4 singles during which she posted straight set victories versus Rider and Iona and a thrilling, come from behind win against Wagner to help the team finish the fall 5-2.

The daughter of Marlene and Siena Professor, Gil Brookins, Betsy continued the solid play she began last spring when she turned in a 9-3 singles performance and was honored as the team's Most Improved Player of the Year . Over the past two season's she has notched a total of 13 wins, second only to Siena's #1, Nikki Mayer's 17 during the same time span.

"Betsy has become a player that everyone of her opponents has to take very seriously," Head Coach, Jeff Bloomberg said. "She always had the strokes and has understood the game very well, but now she is playing with more maturity and has cut down on her unforced errors dramatically. She will no longer lose matches because of sloppy play or impatience. Her opponents will have to be better players than she is in order to come out on top and she's too good for that to happen on a regular basis."