ROCK HILL, SC--Winthrop women's tennis player Yasmine Alkema, the two-time defending Big South Conference Player of the Year, has been invited to play in the 2012 Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championship beginning this weekend at the Riviera Tennis Club in Pacific Palisades, CA,

Alkema, a senior from  Algeria, will begin play on Sept. 29 as the pre-qualifying singles and doubles matches are scheduled.  Should Alkema win and  continue to advance through the tournament,, she would play again on Thursday, Oct. 4 thru Sunday, Oct. 7.  Alkema compiled a 18-4 singles record last spring at the No. 1 position as she led the Lady Eagles to a fourth straight Big South Conference championship following an undefeated conference season. 

"This is a great honor for Yasmine and our women's tennis program," said Winthrop head coach Cid Carvalho.  "We hope she can go to California and perform to the best of her ability and we will see what happens.  The competition is going to be tremendous as many of the top-ranked players in the United States will be competing. This will be a great experience for her and should help prepare her for another outstanding spring season."

This year's singles field will be loaded with 15 returning All Americans participating in this year's event.