ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Tusculum College's Carlos Garcia has been named to 2008 South Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis Player of the Year announced league officials Friday. Tusculum head coach Tommy Arnett was also named the SAC Coach of the Year after leading his squad to the program's second league championship.

Garcia, a senior from Caracas, Venezuela, becomes the first Pioneer to be named SAC Player of the Year since joining the conference in 1998. Garcia has posted a 16-1 record, including 7-0 in league matches this year. Garcia was also named to the All-SAC First Team, marking the fourth consecutive year he as earned All-Conference accolades. During his career, he accounted for a perfect 25-0 league mark, making him the first player in Tusculum history to achieve that feat.

In all, Tusculum had five players earn All-Conference recognition. Garcia, Sergio Espinosa and Nicolas Bigler were named to the All-SAC First Team, while Henrique Rodrigues and Leo Guaycurus were selected to the Second Team.

Espinosa, a senior from Caracas, Venezuela, earns his fourth straight all-conference honor. Espinosa has a 12-5 singles record (5-2 SAC) and a 15-3 doubles slate (6-1 SAC) with Garcia at the No. 1 flight.

Bigler, a sophomore from Chernex, Switzerland, makes his inaugural appearance on the All-SAC Team. Bigler is 14-4 in singles and 17-1 in doubles with Hunter Beal (Heiskell, Tenn.).

Rodrigues, a sophomore from Salvador-Bahia, Brazil, has a 12-4 singles record, while Guaycurus (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is 14-3. The Brazilian duo accounted for a 13-5 worksheet in doubles competition.

For Arnett, this marks the third time in his career he has been honored with this award (2002, 2005, 2008) for men's tennis.
Tusculum is ranked No. 35 in NCAA Division II and is the top-seed in this weekend's Food Lion SAC Tournament, being held at the Rock Hill Tennis Center in Rock Hill, S.C.

- SAC -

2008 All-South Atlantic Conference Men's Tennis Team
FIRST TEAM
Giuseppe Schwartz, Carson-Newman
Sean Soltan, Catawba
Hannes Ganss, Lincoln Memorial
Koeche Smith, Mars Hill
John Allen, Mars Hill
Carlos Garcia, Tusculum
Sergio Espinosa, Tusculum
Nicolas Bigler, Tusculum

SECOND TEAM
Preston Sneed Carson-Newman
Lucas Mattos, Newberry
Felipe Sobrinho, Newberry
Henrique Rodrigues, Tusculum
Leo Guaycurus, Tusculum
Mitchell Lvovsky, Wingate
Braeden Patchell, Wingate
Jose Valarezo, Wingate

SAC Coach of the Year: Tommy Arnett, Tusculum
SAC Freshman of the Year: Koeche Smith, Mars Hill
SAC Player of the Year: Carlos Garcia, Tusculum
SAC Scholar Athlete: Preston Sneed, Carson-Newman