By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Sports Editor

Clayton College & State University named Elizabeth Nieto, the most decorated player in Georgia Southern University tennis history, as the new head women's tennis coach, according to an announcement by Director of Athletics Mason Barfield. Nieto replaces Jolyn Smith, who resigned in May to pursue other career opportunities after guiding the program since the 1995-96 inaugural season.

"Elizabeth possesses several qualities that will give her the ability to do well as a coach," says Barfield. "She has had extensive NCAA playing experience and has worked as a coach at the NCAA Division I level, which gives her the insight needed in compliance and the recruitment of quality student-athletes. Through the years, she has developed a great wealth of knowledge of the pool of athletes that extends globally because of her playing experience around the world."

Nieto served as an assistant coach with the Georgia Southern women's tennis program in 1997 and worked with a pair of nationally ranked players,including the Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year. Besides her coaching duties, she was responsible for monitoring the Lady Eagles' academic progress, which resulted in a school-best 3.5 team g.p.a. Nieto has also worked several summer camps, including GSU, Clemson and Georgia. In hernative land of Venezuela, she worked as an assistant coach for the Junior Development Program, where she coached and trained 10 nationally ranked players.

During her four-year career at GSU, Nieto compiled a 68-4 singles record and was tabbed Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year three times. A four-time Southern Conference Tournament and GSU most valuable player, she captured four consecutive conference No. 1 singles championships,two doubles championships, and was ranked as high as 35th in the Rolex Collegiate rankings and 37th by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) in her senior year.

She also led the Lady Eagles to back-to-back SoCon championships in 1995 and 1996. As a junior player in Venezuela, Nieto ranked 13th in the world in singles and 14th in doubles. She competed in several tournaments around the world as a junior player, including such high-profile events as the United States Open, Wimbledon and the French Open.

"Throughout her career at Georgia Southern, Elizabeth demonstrated a priority of importance in academics, as her achievements in the classroom equaled that of her accomplishments as a tennis player," says Barfield. "I am looking forward to working with her as she works to continue the success of our women's tennis program."

Clayton State returns four players for the upcoming season, including both the No. 1 and No. 2 singles players. This past year, the Lady Lakers advanced to the NCAA Division II South Regional Tournament in just their second year as a full-time member of the NCAA and finished No. 26 in the final ITA/Rolex Division II national poll.

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