Women's Tennis Opens The 2003 Season

CORAL GABLES, Fla.-The Miami women’s tennis team opens the 2003 season hosting Broward Community College Friday at 5 p.m. at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center located on the UM campus.

The Hurricanes earned a pre-season national ranking of No. 24 after finishing 14-7 and winning the BIG EAST championship last season.

Miami returns five-of-six players from last season’s lineup and added two talented newcomers.

The Hurricanes are under the guidance of second-year head coach Paige Yaroshuk. Yaroshuk was named BIG EAST Coach of the Year in her first season as head coach in 2002.

Mari Toro (Miami, Fla.) returns for her junior season after posting an overall record of 24-10 last season. Toro is ranked No. 57 in the pre-season rankings and was named 2002 BIG EAST MVP.

Sophomore Staci Stevens (Hammond, La.) recorded 24 wins her freshman season with an overall record of 24-11.

Miami also welcomes newcomers Melissa Applebaum (Coral Gables, Fla.) and Megan Bradley (Columbia, Mo.) to the team.

Both players were ranked in the pre-season rankings, Bradley at No. 2 and Applebaum at No. 92.

Bradley a transfer from UCLA was an All-American tennis player her freshman season with the Bruins. She earned All-American status in both singles and doubles and was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s National Rookie of the Year.

Applebaum was the No.1 high school player in the state of Florida and ranked No. 11 nationally out of Gulliver High School.

Miami also plays No. 45 Illinois Saturday at 6 p.m. at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.