Mobile, Ala. - The AUM Senators claimed the 2006 NAIA National Tennis Championship with a 5-0 shutout of top-seeded Azusa Pacific Friday afternoon.

"I want to dedicate this championship to (AUM Chancellor) Dr. Guin Nance, who is retiring, for her support of the tennis program and the athletic department," Head Coach Anuk Christiansz said.

The Senators (24-1) did not lose a set during the tournament and won the program's third national championship in the past five years, their sixth title overall."This was a total team effort," said Christiansz.

In the singles matches, third-seed Victor Sanakai Papi defeated Azusa Pacific's David Goodman 6-2, 6-3.  AUM's sixth-seed Alex Petropolous beat Art Fatkiev 6-2, 6-1.

In doubles action, the first-seeded duo of Papi/Nikola Miskovic defeated Azusa Pacific's Patrick Kur/Fatkiev 8-4.  AUM's second-seeded team of Daniel Plasa/Joel Kusnierz beat Boris Bakalov/Tom Jelsma 8-5, and the third-seeded tandem of Anton Brykalin/Tim Mudrick defeated Goodman/Cole Billings 9-8 (8).

AUM also collected two individual awards.  Coach Christianzs was named the National Coach of the Year, and Plasa was given the Ward-Ballinger Outstanding Player Award for the tournament.

* *

*Singles
*#1 - Daniel Plasa (AUM) vs. Boris Bakalov (APU), 7-6, 2-0
#2 - Anton Brykalin (AUM) vs. Patrick Kur (APU), 6-4, 0-1
#3 - Victor Sanakai Papi (AUM) def. David Goodman (APU), 6-2, 6-3
#4 - Joel Kusnierz (AUM) vs. Tom Jelsma (APU), 6-3, 5-2 DNF
#5 - Nikola Miskovic (AUM) vs. Cole Billings (APU), 3-6, 2-3
#6 - Alex Petropoulis (AUM) def. Art Fatkiev (APU), 6-2, 6-1

*Doubles*
#1 - Victor Sanakaipapi/Nikola Miskovic (AUM) def. Patrick Kur/Art Fafkeiv (APU), 8-4
#2 - Daniel Plasa/Joel Kusnierz (AUM) def. Boris Bakalov/Tom Jelsma (APU), 8-5
#3 - Anton Brykalin/Tim Mudrick (AUM) def. David Goodman/Cole Billings (APU), 9-8 (8)