ATHENS, Ga. – Courtney Kupets of Georgia has been chosen as the Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Week, according to an announcement by the league office on Tuesday.

Kupets, a senior from Athens, paced the Gym Dogs to a season-opening victory over West Virginia on Friday at Stegeman Coliseum.

Returning from an Achilles injury that sidelined her for the latter part of the 2008 campaign, Kupets won the all-around title in Friday’s meet. Kupets posted an all-around figure of 39.45. She also won outright or shared the titles on bars (9.975), beam (9.85) and floor (9.95) against the Mountaineers.

After the first week of collegiate competition, Kupets has the No. 1 average nationally in the all-around, the uneven bars and floor exercise, and she is 13th on the balance beam.

Kupets is a five-time national champion and a 10-time All-American for the Gym Dogs.

“I think Courtney winning the SEC Athlete of the Week speaks volumes about her work ethic,” Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan said. “To come back from that injury at the age of 22 and win the all-around in her first meet shows her character, her determination and her drive. I think she’s one of the best gymnasts ever in the history of college gymnastics, and it’s good for the gymnastics world to have her back.”

Georgia will open SEC competition and make its first road trip of the season when the Gym Dogs take on LSU on Friday. Georgia then will host Utah on Monday and Alabama the following Friday.