PRESS RELEASE

February 21, 2005                                                       Cartennis@aol.com
For Immediate Release                                                www.mcbtennis.org

              “LITTLE MO” TEXAS SECTIONALS 

Dallas…The youngest and brightest stars in tennis played in the 29^th annual “Little Mo” Texas Sectionals at the Arlington Tennis Center from February 19-20.  Approximately 200 youngsters from all over Texas competed in the popular “Little Mo” event.  Kathi and Thomas Eckel were the Tournament Directors.

The eight quarterfinalists in each age division qualified to play in the “Little Mo” South Regionals at the Arlington Tennis Center from May 28-30.  Players from three other sections (Intermountain, Missouri Valley, and Northern) will also be competing at the Regionals.  The four semifinalists from the Regionals will advance to the prestigious “Little Mo” Nationals at the Austin Tennis Academy in Austin, Texas from October 22-24.  The “Little Mo” Nationals is the only tournament for boys and girls 8, 9, 10, and 11 & under and is the culmination of the yearlong “Road to the Little Mo Nationals”. 

The winners of the “Little Mo” Texas Sectional were: 

Boys 11:   Russell Naumann - San Antonio, Texas

Boys 10:  Nicholas Agritelley - Dallas, Texas

Boys 9:    Daniel Maese - Dallas, Texas

Boys 8:    Prince Gbadamosi - Houston, Texas

Girls 11:   Giovanna Manifacio -  Mission, Texas

Girls 10:   Nicki Johnson - Plano, Texas

Girls 9:    Gabriella Umoquit - Mission, Texas

Girls 8:    Domonique Garley – Ft.Worth, Texas

·        For full draws, see www.mcbtennis.org 

The “Little Mo” tournaments are sponsored by the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation in memory of its tennis champion namesake, Maureen Connolly, who was known as “Little Mo” – the first woman to win the Grand Slam at only 18 years of age in 1953.  The “Little Mo” tournaments are designed to be fun and provide good competition for the younger player at the sectional, regional and national level.  The foundation has promoted junior tennis development for over thirty-five years and continues to benefit countless numbers of boys and girls throughout the country.