Women's Tennis Set for Season-Opener against Florida Gulf Coast
Jan. 22, 2009
Coral Gables, Fla. – The University of Miami women’s tennis team enters the 2009 season ranked 13th nationally, ready to begin the spring season at home hosting the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Friday, January 23 at noon.
Friday’s matinee affair against the FGCU Eagles will serve as the season-opener for both teams. It will be the first of back-to-back days of women’s tennis action at noon for the `Canes as they turn around to face Florida Atlantic on Saturday, January 24 at home.
Miami enters the spring season with four players ranked in the first Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) poll, headlined by sophomore transfer Julia Cohen ranked eighth nationally. She enters the new season fourth in the South Region poll. Behind her is sophomore Bianca Eichkorn who had the best fall campaign of any Hurricanes player. Eichkorn is ranked 20th nationally, as well as eighth regionally.
Classmate Michaela Kissell is in at Nol. 50 nationally while collecting a 13th place ranking in the region. Meanwhile, two-time All-American Laura Vallverdu is ranked 114th in the nation after spending most of the fall season sidelined with injury. She ended last season at the No. 1 position for the Hurricanes, and collected a record of 31-10 overall–her second consecutive 30-win season for the Orange and Green. Vallverdu has a record of 65-16 in her two years at UM.
Miami welcomes back five letterwinners from the 2008 season in which they reached the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tennis Tournament before bowing out to Baylor. The Hurricanes return two-time All-American Laura Vallverdu, as well as sophomores Bianca Eichkorn and Michaela Kissell. Junior Claudia Wasilewski also joins the `Canes for her third season in south Florida. They also enjoy the introduction of five newcomers, including sophomore transfer Julia Cohen.
Miami finished the 2008 campaign with a record of 17-6 overall and ended the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) season in third place at 8-2. Head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews enters her eighth year at the helm of the Hurricanes women’s tennis program, and is eagerly anticipating another successful year in sunny Coral Gables. She has all the pieces in place to make a title run at UM, both in the conference and the nation.
FGCU is powered by Priscillia Villemond and Eva Sambrano, both having earned wins in their last matches during the Johan Kriek Classic held on January 16-19 in Ft. Myers, Fla.
For ticket information for the 2009 spring season, call 1-800-GO-CANES, locate your internet browser to www.hurricanesports.com or email canestix@miami.edu.
