San Francisco, CA – Urban Knight freshman standout Diane Phan was recognized for all of her hard work and tough competition by being named the 2010 Pacific West Conference Freshman of the Year. The announcement of the award came on Tuesday, August 3, 2010. Phan (Fremont, CA) not only led the Academy of Art University tennis team by being a captain, but also stood out in conference play, coming up with big wins through out the season to secure her PacWest honors.

“This is a great accomplishment for Diane,” said Head Coach Dave Allen. “This is a girl from the local area who made a big decision to follow her dreams and attend a school where she could excel not only in the classroom but on the tennis court for the Urban Knights.”

Phan finished the 2010 season with a 9-12 overall singles record. In the number one singles spot Diane was 8-12, and she was a perfect 1-0 in the number two singles spot. In the first game of the season, Phan was the only Urban Knight to defeat her Sonoma State opponent who was nationally ranked. She won 6-0, 6-1. She also defeated three other nationally ranked singles players throughout the season, including one against conference members Dixie State.

“Our team motto is 'Hard work pays off',” added Allen. “Diane has great work ethic that helps motivate the team, and she is a great leader.”

After the conclusion of the season, Phan was recognized by the Pacific West conference for her outstanding play in singles. She received All Conference Second Team- Singles honors. Diane was the only Urban Knight to gain any recognition by the conference for the 2010 season. She finished ranked 7^th in the PacWest in number one singles.

“This is a great accomplishment and I feel great about it,” exclaimed Diane Phan. “I put in a lot of effort this past year and to see that people recognize that is really rewarding. Even though I went through a tough season with an injured shoulder, this just means that with the upcoming year, I am going to strive to do even better. With the season fast approaching, this award is definitely exciting and motivating. Go Urban Knights!”