D'Agord, Cohen and Vallverdu Present in 2006 Fila/ITA Preseason Rankings

Sept. 8, 2006

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Highlighted by senior Luigi D’Agord’s No. 3 national ranking, three members of the University of Miami men’s tennis team appear in the 2006 Fila/ITA preseason singles and doubles rankings released Friday.

Joining D’Agord in the singles rankings are senior Josh Cohen (No. 54) and sophomore Daniel Vallverdu (No. 70). Miami is the only team in the ACC to boast three nationally ranked singles players.

As a doubles team, D’Agord and Vallverdu also drew the nation’s No. 4 spot in the preseason rankings.

D’Agord, who earned All-America honors last season in addition to being named the 2006 ACC Player of the Year, posted an overall record of 36-5 last season. With that mark, he finished tied with former UM All-American Conny Falk for the second-most wins in a single season in school history.

Throughout the year he was 20-1 in dual matches and was the only player in the ACC this season to go undefeated (11-0) in league play.

After earning the NCAA Singles Championship Tournament’s No. 3 overall seed, D’Agord advanced to the round of 16 before falling to Clemson’s Clement Reix, ending his impressive 21-match win streak and drawing his season to an end.

Cohen finished second on the UM roster in wins last season, registering an overall record of 27-6, including an 15-4 mark in dual matches.

Vallverdu, the 2006 ACC Freshman of the Year, earned All-America status for his play in doubles last season. During the dual season, he posted an overall record of 19-7 in doubles and pairing with D’Agord, who also earned All-America honors in doubles, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships.

In singles the freshman posted an overall record of 17-7 along with an impressive 9-2 mark in league play to earn conference freshman of the year honors.