Miami Set To Host BIG EAST Tennis Championships
April 19, 2001
CORAL GABLES, Fla.–The Miami men’s and women’s teams will look to defend their titles at the 2001 BIG EAST Tennis Championships, April 20-22. The championships are hosted by the University of Miami and matches will be played at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center in Coral Gables, Fla.
Women’s Preview:
Five of the six women’s teams at the BIG EAST Championship have been ranked in the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings this season. No. 7 Notre Dame earned the No. 1 seed and a first round bye.
Miami (14-7) is ranked No. 38 in the ITA poll. The Irish tallied 20-wins for the fourth year in a row and are off to their best start since 1986 (21-4).
Senior Michelle Dasso, who is the No. 4 ranked singles player in the nation will head the ND charge. Dasso is also part of the No. 5 ranked doubles team with partner junior Becky Varnum.
The Hurricanes have defeated eight teams ranked in the ITA Top 75, including a victory at No. 32 UCLA. Freshman sensation Bettina Hafner is among the top 100 singles players in the country. She will take the court in second singles action and as part of the third doubles tandem.
No. 3 seed Boston College (11-6 in dual meets) spent the last four weeks of the season in the ITA poll, peaking at No. 58, the highest ranking in school history. Senior co-captains Cynthia Tow and Kiren Fernando will play first and second singles, respectively.
The newest member of the BIG EAST is Virginia Tech (10-11), which was ranked as high as No. 53 nationally. The No. 4 seed Hokies are led by sophomore Kristin Lanio, who has posted 15 wins in 20 dual meets this spring.
No. 5 seed Syracuse (7-9) is the fifth team to find its way into the top 75, appearing four times, most recently on March 28 (68). Seniors Michelle Neveklovska and Zuzanna Borucka and sophomore Masha Kabnova have been solid for the Orangewomen in both singles and doubles play.
Rounding out the field is No. 6 seed West Virginia (7-12). The Mountaineers won five of their last six matches.
2001 BIG EAST Women’s Tennis Championships The Neil Schiff Tennis Complex, Coral Gables, Fla. April 20-22, 2001
Championship Schedule
Friday, April 20 – 9 a.m. Match 1 No. 4 Virginia Tech vs. No. 5 Syracuse
Noon-Match 2 No. 3 Boston College vs. No. 6 West Virginia
Saturday, April 21 – 9 a.m. Match 3 No. 1 Notre Dame vs. Winner Match 1
Noon-Match 4 No. 2 Miami vs. Winner Match 2
3 p.m.-Match 6 Loser Match 1 vs. Loser Match 2
Sunday, April 22 – Noon Championship Match Winner Match 3 vs. Winner Match 4
Match 7 Loser Match 3 vs. Loser Match 4
