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

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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