Former Bulldog Isner captures first pro tournament

In his first appearance as a professional tennis player, former Bulldog John Isner captured the Thompsons Buick-Pontiac-GMC Championships at the Millennium SportsClub El Dorado in Shingle Springs, Calif.

Isner, the all-time winningest singles and doubles tennis player in Georgia history, was entered into the main draw as a wildcard and proceeded to run the table, knocking off the No. 1 seed, Ivan Miranda of Peru, 6-4, 7-6 (11) in the finals to win the $15,000 prize.

Isner dropped just one set during his five-match run to the championship.

In his quarterfinal match, Isner held on through two more tiebreaks, defeating the No. 3 seed, Wesley Whitehouse (South Africa) 7-6(10), 7-6(5). Isner then cruised past Adam Kennedy (USA), 6-2, 6-3, to earn his berth in the final.

Kupets brings home top gymnast award

Courtney Kupets has been chosen as the nation’s top collegiate female gymnast. The honor was based on the results of national balloting among 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program, now in its 31st year.

Kupets’ victory will earn her the 2007 Honda Sports Award, given annually to the top women athletes in

12 NCAA-sanctioned sports, along with automatic nomination for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year.

“Being nominated and then winning the Honda Sports Award is kind of surreal,” she said.

Swim and dive team adds new members

The Georgia women’s swimming and diving team has assembled the nation’s top-rated incoming freshman class, according to CollegeSwimming.com.

The Lady Bulldogs’ 2007-08 freshman class is made up of Kelsey Ditto (Austin, Texas), Chelsea Nauta (Tampa, Fla.), Morgan Scroggy (Aurora, Ore.), Courtney Monsees (San Jose, Cal.), Lauren English (Lincoln Park, N.J.), Colleen Haase (Rockville, Md.), Lauren Cartwright (Fayetteville), Emily Montesinos (Riverdale), Erin Dobeck (Suwanee) and Hannah Moore (Moultrie).

Univ. athletics 12th among nation’s elite

Spearheaded by two national championships, the University of Georgia’s athletics program finished 12th in the annual U.S. Sports Academy Director’s Cup competition which measures the nation’s most successful athletic programs annually.

Georgia won national titles in gymnastics and men’s tennis but also finished second in men’s golf, fourth in women’s tennis and women’s indoor track and field, fifth in women’s swimming, eighth in women’s golf and ninth in women’s outdoor track and field.

In the last 10 years, Georgia has finished among the nation’s top 12 on nine occasions and among the nation’s top 10 seven times.

- Georgia Sports Communications