CLEVELAND - The No. 28 ranked Lady Statesmen of Delta State University will open play in the NCAA South Region Tournament Thursday, May 6 at the Buccaneer Tennis Center in Miami Shores, Fla.  Delta State, the region's No. 4 seed, will face Palm Beach Atlantic, who is seeded No. 5, at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday. 

The Lady Statesmen (11-6) are led by Gulf South Conference West Division Player of the Year Cecile Benzaki.  The senior from Marseille, France has turned in an 11-5 singles record this season, while matching the mark in doubles play.

She will be joined by fellow All-GSC performer Lisa Jamais, a sophomore from Reunion Island, France, is a repeat All-GSC First Team selection after making the 2009 squad. Jamais posted an 11-4 overall singles record, while turning in a 9-6 doubles mark.

A newcomer, Laura Mongin, a freshman from Jaunay, France, will also play a large role for the Lady Statesmen this week.  Mongin received GSC West Freshman of the Year honors and was also selected to the All-GSC First Team. She blistered the competition this year to the tune of 14-4 in singles and combined for an 11-4 doubles record.

Not to be left out is Lucia Laws, a junior from Fernando De Lamora, Paraguay. Laws, who was also named to the All-GSC team, went 11-5 in singles action this season, while going 10-4 in doubles.

Seniors Tatiana Bouchaud and Amanda Corneilison and freshman Amandine Gourgues will round out the performers for the Lady Statesmen this week. 

Live results of the 2010 NCAA South Region Tennis Tournament will be available at www.GoBarryBucs.com.