Klein Named ITA Division III National Freshman of the Year

St. Louis, Mo., May 28, 2010 – Freshman Kate Klein of the No. 21 Washington University in St. Louis women’s tennis team was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III National Rookie Player of the Year, as announced Thursday evening by the association.

Klein, who became just the second student-athlete in program history to earn Central Region Rookie of the Year honors, is the first ever to be tabbed as the ITA National Freshman of the Year.

Klein made an immediate impact at Washington University during her freshman season, playing most of the year at No. 1 singles and doubles. She has posted an overall singles record of 22-6, and is 10-3 playing the No. 1 position. Klein advanced to the Wilson/ITA Central Region singles tournament semifinals during the fall.

Klein helped Washington University secure an at-large berth into the 2010 NCAA Division III Tournament where the Bears advanced to the regional championship before falling to eventual national semifinalist University of Chicago, 5-0.

Additionally, Klein was one of 32 student-athletes selected to compete in the NCAA Division III individual singles championship, scheduled for Friday-Sunday, May 28-30, at the Battleground Tennis Complex in Fredericksburg, Va. She was just the seventh student-athlete in school history to qualify for the NCAA individual championships, and the first since 2006.